Fairy Tales of Alexander and Hephaistion
by Yumemakura
Summary: All the basic plots are based on fairly tales from the world. They are modified and rewrote to suite the world of Alexander and Hephaistion. Chapter 12, 'Rapunzel' is up.
1. Tanabata

This is an adoption of Japanese folktale. In Japanese version of folktale, which was originally from China, Vega; Orihime (weaving princess) is a daughter of the emperor, and Altar; Hiko (puller of cows) is her lover. In lunar calendar, seventh day of the month, and seventh month of the year falls on 8/26 this year, but in modern Japan, we still celebrate it on July 7. When I remembered this tale, I had to make it to A/H as this is one of the most romantic Japanese folktales I know.

Tanabata 　七夕

Long, long time ago, there lived a beautiful lad named Hephaistion who resided by the Milky Way on the other side of the Palace. He wove the most exquisite clothes from the tips of his slender and elegant fingers. The King Philip, the ruler of the heaven, loved the beautiful clothes that he made, and had him send them over the river to his palace every day. He admired his collections to grow day by day.

The King had a prince named Alexander who was very handsome with sparkling golden hair. One day, the prince was sitting beside the river of heaven. On this particular day, he was very sad that he had not found his love. Everywhere he looked, there was a couple; a pair of happy swans glided away on the mirror calm water, a pair of deer joyfully leaped into the woods, and even heavenly flowers bloomed in a pair. He sighed deeply looking over the river. King Philip saw his son when he greeted with the wagon that delivered his daily merchant from Hephaistion, and came down to talk to him.

"What bothers you my son? You look very sad."

"I am sad because I have nobody to love or to be loved."

The King felt sorry for his son, and gave him the clothes he just received from Hephaistion.

"Here my son. Take these clothes. They may comfort you."

Alexander took the clothes in his hands. They were as soft as fluffy clouds, and as warm as the afternoon sun. They were so beautiful, and twinkled in rainbow colors. Alexander pressed his cheek onto them. Sweet aroma surrounded him, and the happiness seeped into his heart. A small smile curled up onto his lips. The King was happy to see this effect.

"Would you like to meet this person who wove these beautiful clothes?"

Alexander's eyes lit up with an excitement.

"Oh, yes, father. I would love to."

Next morning, King Philip sent the messenger to Hephaistion, and summoned him to visit the palace. Alexander was anxious all morning, and he was pacing in circles in the king's chamber where he supposed to meet with this weaver. The guard finally announced the arrival of Hephaistion, and Alexander took a seat by his father.

Hephaistion's slender form entered the room with newly woven clothes in his hands, with his head slightly bowed, looking down the palace floor. King Philip encouraged him to come closer. When he came close, Hephaistion lifted his clothes to gift the King. He raised his gaze for the first time after entering the room.

Alexander sucked his breaths. This young man was the most beautiful with amazing blue eyes. Silky auburn long hair flamed his delicate face. Two drops of the clear summer sky brightly shined under the thick curtain of brown rushes. The bridge of his nose was high but slender, and the tip of his nose curved up slightly adding warmth otherwise too cold due to the perfection. Flawlessly shaped and fully kissable lips followed the smooth crease under the nose.

A blush crept on Hephaistion's cheeks when his eyes met with Alexander's intense stare. Hephaistion felt his heart melted when Alexander took his hands in his, and kissed them slowly, a knuckle by a knuckle. King Philip understood this instant attraction between two young men, and gladly arranged their marriage.

Their marriage was the sweetest and the happiest from the beginning. Their happiness grew each day. Then, King Philip became angry. Because in spending so much time in his happy marriage, Hephaistion started to neglect his weaving. The king decided to separate the couple, ant sent Hephaistion back, to the other side of the Milky Way.

On one night of the year, would he allow them to meet; on the seventh day of the month, and the seventh month of the year. Every year on that day, a boatman from the moon comes to Hephaistion to ferry him to his beloved Alexander. But, if Hephaistion had not done his weaving to his best, then King Philip may make it rain. When it rains, the boat man will not come due to the flood. However, magpies may still fly to the Milky Way to make a bridge for Hephaistion to cross.

On this seventh day of the month and the seventh month of the year, Alexander and Hephaistion make passionate loves all night long to savor it for the rest of three hundred sixty four days in their dream. When you look up at the sky tonight, you will see Alexander and Hephaistion blinking happily together by the heavenly stream of Milky Way.

End


	2. Prince Snow White

A/N: The plot used here is a mix of original Grimm's "Sow White" and Disney's movie, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I also used Greek Myths to make story a little more close to Alexander's world. I hope you enjoy.

Prince Snow White

Long, long time ago a king and a queen lived in a land far away. They were happy except that they did not have a child, and longed for a son. On a fine spring afternoon, the queen looked up at the sky and wished for a child with eyes as blue and heart as clear. Father Zeus felt pity for her, and granted her wish. On one day in that winter when the first snow gently blanketed over the kingdom, the queen gave a birth to a son. He had the bluest and the clearest eyes of all they had ever seen. They named him Hephaistion.

Sadly, the queen's thread of life was snipped by Atropos shortly after Hephaistion was born. King Philip moaned for a long time, but he took a new wife in the end. The kingdom needed a queen. The new queen, Olympias was very beautiful, but she had a heart as dark as the night sky without the moon, and was a secret follower of the cult of Dionysus. She asked everyday to a little water pool in a basin where her snakes gathered around.

"Dionysus, Dionysus, in the basin, who in this land is fairest of all?

"Queen Olympias, you are the fairest of all."

Queen Olympias was very happy, since she knew that Dionysus could never lie.

She treated Hephaistion kindly in front of the King, but she sent him for a hard labor once the King was away. The Queen's harshness grew stronger with jealousy when she found that the people in the kingdom started to call him "Prince Snow White', because he was born on the day of the first snow, and his heart was as pure as the snow. He was breathtakingly beautiful.

One late summer morning, Hephaistion was at a stream to fetch the water for the Queen's garden. She did not let him use the nearby well to water it, but instead, sent him to a stream miles away. Hephaistion was hot and tired, and hungry and thirsty. The queen did not let him have a meal until he finished watering the whole garden. He had already made two trips since the dawn, and this would be his last. He was sitting on a tree stump in the shade by the stream to catch his breath for a moment when a handsome prince of the neighboring kingdom passed by on an impressive coal black stallion.

The prince was beautiful with golden hair and strong muscles. He wore a chiton made of the finest cloth with a rich red cloak. He looked so divine that Hephaistion thought it was Helios who came down from the sky. Hephaistion tried to hide being ashamed with his dirty and poor appearance. His chiton was coarse, and his whole body was covered with dust and sweat. But what he did not know was that he still looked more beautiful than anybody else who dressed in his finest.

"Please do not run away, I will not harm you."

The prince altered his horse to block Hephaistion's way. Hephaistion avoided the prince's intense gaze, and replied in a small voice while looking down at the ground.

"Please let me go, as I am not worthy of your notice."

The prince dismounted the horse, and stood right in front of this young man. Even in his poor clothes, and with dirt and sweat covered skin, the prince could still see the beauty underneath, and he liked the calmness and gentleness surrounding him. The prince ignored what he said, and continued.

"My name is Alexander. I am the prince of the neighboring land. What is your name?"

"I am Hephaistion." He whispered.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Hephaistion. I was just looking for a nice cool place to eat my lunch, but I hate eating by myself. Would you care to join me?"

As soon as he heard the word lunch, Hephaistion realized how hungry he was, and his stomach answered for him. Hephaistion blushed with embarrassment. Alexander smiled at this.

"I take that for yes. Let us go back where you were sitting."

Alexander spread his cloak on the grass, and set bread, a pot of honey, an apple, and wine in a sheepskin. They went to the stream and washed their faces and hands before sitting on the grass. Alexander handed his little cloth to Hephaistion after wiping his face and hands.

"Here, you can keep it. It seems that you need it more than I do for working hard under the sun."

"Thank you."

Hephaistion gratefully accepted and wiped his face with it. The cloth was so soft and smelled good like a mixture of mint and tiger Lily. He buried his face in it for a little longer than he needed enjoying the sensation. When he finished, Hephaistion looked at the prince for the first time. Alexander lost his breath. He had never seen such blue eyes as beautiful as Hephaistion's, and he could see the pureness of the soul through those windows. Hephaistion smiled, and Alexander's heart swelled with joy.

They sat on the grass, and shared a quiet meal. Alexander cut an apple in half, and gave half to Hephaistion.

"To our friendship." Alexander grinned happily.

"To our friendship." Hephaistion repeated with a shy smile.

After the meal, they promised to meet at the same time, at the same place on the next day. Alexander offered Hephaistion help to carry the pails of water to the garden, but Hephaistion insisted that he would do it by himself. He was afraid that Queen Olympias would become angry if she found that Hephaistion had help, and would never let him go back to the stream. Alexander stood by his stallion, and watched Hephaistion walk away until he could not make out his figure anymore.

That night, Queen Olympias asked the water of Dionysus.

"Dionysus, Dionysus, in the basin, who in this land is fairest of all?

"You my Queen Olympias, you are fair, but Hephaistion, the Prince Snow White is the fairest of all."

Queen Olympias' face was hardened immediately. She could not believe what she just heard. This should not be happening. She called one of her most trusted guards and ordered him.

"Take Hephaistion into the woods at the first light tomorrow morning. Kill him, and bring his heart back to me as a proof."

She wanted to make sure that Hephaistion was dead, so she would be the fairest of all.

Next morning when Hephaistion woke up and went outside, he was met by a Queen's guard. He pulled Hephaistion onto his horse in front of him, and securely held him. Hephaistion was alarmed.

"Where are we going?" Hephaistion asked.

"To the woods." The guard answered.

Hephaistion tried to escape, but the grip of the guard was too tight and strong. When they came deep into the woods, the guard stopped the horse, and pulled Hephaistion down along with him when he dismounted. He drew his sword. Hephaistion could fight if he only had a sword. He was secretly practising swordsmanship with a hope of joining with his father one of these days. He looked around, but there was not even a branch on the ground he could use to protect himself.

The guard raised his sword high above him to strike. Hephaistion looked straight into the eyes of the guard, if he could not fight, at least he wanted to die bravely. The guard hesitated when his eyes met with Hephaistion's. He saw the purest soul in there and could not bear to kill him. He lowered the blade, and told Hephaistion.

"Run as fast as you can before I change my mind."

Hephaistion did not understand what the guard said for a moment, but as soon as the meaning sank in, he turned around, and dashed. He ran between trees, through bushes, and over a brook, and he finally stopped when he came to a house made with logs.

Hephaistion pushed the door, and it opened.

"Hello? Is anybody home?"

There were no answers. He looked around the house curiously. In the middle of the room, there was a big table with seven chairs. Seven plates and seven bowls were neatly set on the table.

A delicious smell of food was coming from another room as well. After running so long, Hephaistion was thirsty, hungry, and tired, and he felt weak.

He picked up a plate, and went to the other room, telling himself that he would just have a little taste. A hot porridge of barley was simmering on a low open fire. He scooped some and put it on his plate. After a few bites of porridge, he was still hungry. He picked up another plate, and got some salad made with tender forest and meadow greens. It did not fill him so much, so he picked up another plate, and got himself a slice of bread. He felt better now, but now he was very thirsty. He picked up a bowl, and poured himself some wine from a jug. A little alcohol encouraged his appetite even more. He ate lentils, and finished up with sweet beets. He ended up using all plates except two.

Now his stomach was full, he became tired and sleepy. He thought about cleaning the plates, but he could hardly keep his eyes open. He walked further down the house, and fond a room with seven beds neatly lined up in a row. He took the first bed from the door, and lay down thinking that he would take a nap just for a few minutes before cleaning the dishes. He was fast asleep as soon as his head hit the soft pillow.

Seven strong miners came home after their hard work. They noticed something was not quite right as soon as they opened the door. They first thought it was wild boars. It had happened before and they made such a mess that it took days for them to clean up. But this time, everything was orderly except for a few dirty plates and a bowl.

"Somebody has been eating off my plate." Cassander complained.

"Yep, somebody drunk out of my cup, too." Craterus said with a yawn.

"Well, let us search the house first. But try not to make any sound, he may still be hiding somewhere." Ptolemy instructed.

They all grabbed weapons, and spread out to search for the intruder. Leonnatus whispered to call their attention.

"Here, somebody is sleeping in Perdiccas' bed."

"Ha! Which end do we kill?" Cleitus exclaimed cheerfully.

When Cleitus was just about to strike the intruder, Nearchus let out a huge sneeze. The loud noise startled Hephaistion, and he sprung up to sit on the bed. He was surprised to see seven curious pairs of eyes were staring at him.

"I am Ptolemy, but they call me Doc. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Ptolemy broke the silence in a calm voice; he did not want to scare this young man. Somehow his instinct told him that he could trust him.

"He is beautiful," Leonnatus murmured before Hephaistion could answer.

"Ah, and this is Leonnatus, but we call him Bashful. Do not let him fool you with his shyness. He could be quite bold if he wants to be." Ptolemy explained.

"Is he even safe? They say beautiful roses have thorns. We have to be alarmed." Cassander spat out.

"That man who acts like he knows everything, is Cassander. We call him Grumpy." Ptolemy added, and everybody started to introduce himself, as they instantly liked this young man.

"Hello lad, my name is Craterus, but they call me Sleepy. I do not know why." And he yawned.

"I am Cleitus. They call me Happy. Boy, I am glad that I did not chop your head off." Then he slapped Hephaistion's back.

"Atchoo, hi, my name is Nearchus. They call me Sneezy, achoo." All laughed at this.

"And this is Perdiccas." Cleitus pulled him close. "We call him Dopey, he does not talk much, but he means well." Perdiccas just smiled.

"My name is Hephaistion, and some people call me Prince Snow White." Hephaistion introduced himself blushing. The seven miners nodded with agreement. They could see the pureness through this young man's beautiful blue eyes. Hephaistion explained what had happened to him.

"That witch." Cassander clenched his teeth.

"Do you know her?" Hephaistion was surprised.

"Yes we do." Ptolemy nodded and continued. "We were once warriors of her father's kingdom. But one day, we witnessed her secret Dionysian ritual, and escaped before falling into her evil hands. We are working at the mine to save some gold and buy decent horses and swords. We are hoping to join King Philip's Army next time he comes back."

"Can you fight, Snow White?" Cleitus interjected.

"Yes, I have been secretly practising my swordsmanship, hoping to join my father."

"It is perfect. See, some of us always cut our practice short, because we do not have the right number of people to make pairs. If you can join us in practice, and stay home to keep the wild animals away while we are gone, then you can stay." Ptolemy concluded.

"Thank you, I would love to." Hephaistion agreed in relief.

The seven miners made a new bed and a chair for Hephaistion, and he started his new life deep in the woods. His days began with the same ritual.

"You never know what that wicked Queen Olympias is capable of. Be cautious of strangers."

"Yes, Doc."

"Don't trust anybody."

"I love you, too, Grumpy."

"Achoo!"

"Take care Sneezy." Hephaistion handed a clean wiping cloth.

"Haaawooo…"

"Don't work too hard, Sleepy."

"I'll beat you at the training tonight."

"That's what you wish, Happy."

"Uh…"

"Thank you, have a good day, Bashful."

And at last, Hephaistion hugged Dopey, before they all went to the mine in the mountain.

Back in the palace, Queen Olympias was happy to see her guard bring the heart of Hephaistion. However, the wicked queen ordered them to arrest him and kill him instead of rewarding him. She was afraid that he would tell the truth to the King when he came back. She asked the water in the basin, this time with full confidence.

"Dionysus, Dionysus, in the basin, who in this land is fairest of all?

"You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Prince Snow White, beyond the mountains with seven miner warriors is still a thousand times fairer than you."

Queen Olympias' face grew pale with rage. She thought very hard how she could get rid of Hephaistion. As long as he lived, she was not the fairest, and her jealousy would not give her rest. And then she came up with this clever idea, and smiled to herself. She told her servant to bring the finest apple from the kitchen. When the servant brought the most delicious looking red apple, she went to her secret room.

She picked one of her most poisonous snakes from the basket, and let its fangs sink into the apple. She polished it and smiled in satisfaction when she found the punctures were almost invisible to human eyes. She changed her clothes to poor peasant's ones, put a rug over her head, and headed out to the stable. She was going to find Hephaistion deep in the woods.

Hephaistion liked the life with seven miner warriors, but he often thought about the beautiful golden prince he met. He was afraid that the prince might think that Hephaistion betrayed their friendship. He took out the cloth that Alexander gave him, and buried his face into it. He sighed deeply in sorrow remembering the joyful meeting he had with the prince. A knock on the door brought him back from the daydream.

"Are you in need of any fruits? I have the finest apples to offer." An old peasant asked at the door.

"Thank you, but no thank you. I am not supposed to accept any offers from a stranger."

The old woman looked very sad.

"But these are the finest and the sweetest. I need some money to feed my children tonight. Here, I will cut one in half. You eat a half, and I will eat another half if you do not trust me."

The old woman cut the finest apple in half, and presented a half to Hephaistion. His mind traveled back to the day he had a lunch with Alexander, and shared an apple. It brought him the sweetest memory, and he bit into it without any further thought. As soon as the sweet juice filled his mouth, Hephaistion lost all his senses, and fell deep into the world of darkness.

Queen Olympias rushed back to the palace, and asked to the water in the basin.

"Dionysus, Dionysus, in the basin, who in this land is fairest of all?

"You, my queen, are fairest of all." She smiled ecstatically.

When King Philip finally came home from his recent expedition, Queen Olympias broke the sad news about Hephaistion. She handed a small white alabaster box to the king, and told him that the ashes inside were the only things that were left of Hephaistion. When King Philip opened the box, the fine ashes made their way into King's nostril, and he fell ill and died. Queen Olympias had poisoned him as well. She was finally happy, as being the fairest of all and having the power over the whole kingdom.

When the seven miner warriors came out from the mine, they found something strange. It looked as if Chaos was ruling the world. Wild animals were running around everywhere, and the birds were flying aimlessly. Everybody was puzzled.

"Maybe the old Queen's got Snow White." Craterus yawned.

They all looked at each other, and rushed back to the house only to find Hephaistion lying on the floor unconscious. Cleitus picked him up and gently laid him on the bed. Ptolemy put his ear over Hephaistion's heart, and shook his head. They cried, and mourned him for three days.

"We have to give him a proper burial." Ptolemy murmured with cracking voice.

"We cannot bury him in the darkness." Cassander protested.

"And we cannot burn him into ashes." Perdiccas spoke for the first time in his life.

Cassander and Perdiccas were right. Hephaistion still looked beautiful as if he was still alive. They all agreed to spend their savings to build a sanctuary for Hephaistion. They all worked in silence to build the most beautiful couch with a canopy for him to rest. The crimson colored cushions were filled with the softest feathers, and the cobalt blue pillow was filled with the finest down. The silver canopy over the couch was made with the most delicate silk. They carried him into a secluded area in the woods.

Alexander waited for Hephaistion all morning on their promised day. When he found that Hephaistion was not coming, he became angry. How could a person break a promise with a prince? Yet when he looked up at the sky, he remembered how clear and pure Hephaistion's eyes were, and realized that it was not Hephaistion's intention to hurt him. He sensed something terrible might have happened to him, and was determined to find him.

When he came to a small village in King Philip's land, he heard disturbing news. The villagers were talking about what Queen Olympias had done to both Hephaistion and the King. Alexander screamed in agony.

"Mighty Zeus! How could you let such an unfair tragedy to happen?"

Zeus had been having a drunken party with his son Dionysus for the last three months. He was having such fun; he neglected his watch of the mortal world. Yet, this Alexander's cry reached to Zeus, and he saw everything that this wicked Olympias did. He was very angry, especially about what she did to King Philip. He had had an interesting plan for him. Now, it was ruined. He immediately threw a thunderbolt at Queen Olympias who was enjoying the cool breeze at the balcony of the palace, and killed her instantly. He also made his son, Dionysus promise to bring Hephaistion back from the underworld if Alexander's love for him proved to be as strong and as eternal as he claimed.

The month of Boedromion arrived in the woods. Father Zeus moaned Hephaistion's death with thunderstorm, but he did not let the rain drop on the canopy. Instead, the spectacles of lightning played around and over the canopy of Hephaistion. Next in the month of Pyanepsion, clear autumn sky embraced the canopy. Framing colors of leaves in Maimakterion reflected on the silver canopy, followed by a thick carpet of fallen leaves in Poseidon. Gamelion brought a first snow, which delicately danced against the wall of the canopy. The blanket of snow in Anthesterion made the sun sparkle in rainbow colors against the silver wall. Icicles and leaves of ice silently watched over in Elaphebolion, and the gentle breeze in Mounichion tenderly caressed the canopy. The shower in Thargelion cascaded beads of pearls through the silver thread, and fragrant flowers surrounded around the couch of Hephaistion in Skirophorion. Tender green leaves canopied over in Hekatombaion, and it was the month of Metageition again.

Alexander was almost giving up. He had been searching for Hephaistion for the last twelve months deep into the woods, but there was no sign of Hephaistion. The early morning dew settled tiny droplets on the grass, shining white like first snow through the rays of tender sunlight. Alexander sighed deeply. It reminded him of Hephaistion, Prince Snow White.

His stallion halted, and Alexander looked up. His heart jumped seeing a silver canopy in front of him. He dismounted, and started to walk towards the couch under the canopy. It was then; seven miner warriors blocked his way.

"Who are you? And why are you here?" Cassander questioned.

"I am Alexander, the prince of the neighboring land. I have been looking for my lost love, Hephaistion; Prince Snow White." Seven warriors looked at each other. Prince Alexander's eyes were sincere, and they could see the great pain behind them. They parted, and let Alexander pass.

Alexander's heart was beating so fast that he thought it might jump out of his throat. When he raised the silver canopy with trembling hands, he saw still beautiful Hephaistion lying on a couch as if he was just sleeping. His full auburn locks were shiny, his skin was smooth and his face was refined. Alexander crumbled to his knees. A drop of tears fell from his cheek, and landed on Hephaistion's lips.

Then a miracle happened. Hephaistion's long brown lashes fluttered, and the most exquisite blue jewels emerged.

"Hephaistion!" Alexander crushed him against his chest, then pulled him back to look at his face.

"Alexander?" Hephaistion whispered in disbelief when his eyes finally focused on the figure in front of him. Alexander cupped Hephaistion's face with his warm hands and kissed him gently and then passionately. Seven warriors cheered around them.

Alexander and Hephaistion rode back to the land of Alexander with seven warriors behind. Their wedding was splendid and majestic. Alexander and Hephaistion built a new palace at the adjoining land of the two kingdoms, and lived there happily ever after with loyal seven warriors. Father Zeus was also happy in the Mount Olympus. He praised his son Dionysus for his fine work. Now Zeus can have a new adventurous plan for Alexander and Hephaistion.

End


	3. The Little Merman

A/N:

This is an adaptation of "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen, rather than the movie of the same title by Disney. Since the conclusion of the original story is so heart breaking, I had to write happy endings as well. If you wish only happy endings in fairy tales, please skip 'conclusion 1', and go to 'conclusion 2'.

The Little Merman

Far out in the Aegean Sea, in the deepest part of all, there lived in a palace a sea king named Poseidon with his five sons and their grandmother Rhea. There was no blue sky, but the blue water was as clear and as blue as a Mediterranean summer sky. There was no sun, but golden lights danced down from the surface spreading glittering sparkles along the way to the bottom of the ocean. There was no moon, but silver rays were cast down like a waving sash in the gentle spring breezes. There were no stars, but glowing planktons drifted like the Milky Way, and the fins of small fish flashed lights like the twinkling of stars.

White, pink, purple, flaming orange and red coral formations decorated the rocks giving a playful ground of hide and seek for tiny fish. Soft kelps stood like trees and swung lazily as groups of mackerels passed by. Delicate petals of sea anemones swayed in the gentle stream like flowers in the meadow. Sea urchins and sand dollars scattered on the sugar white sands tinted slightly blue from the reflection of the water.

The pale green palace wall was made of the sand mixed with kelps, which was bordered with pink, ivory and black pearls. Dark grey turtle shells covered the roof tops, and sea shells and star fish decorated around the windows. The world of under the sea was beautiful and peaceful. They lived almost forever under the sea, as the time passed much more slowly and gently than in the world of the land.

Hephaistion was the youngest and the most beautiful of five brothers. His eyes were the color of drops of the deepest ocean, and his long glossy auburn tassels floated away as he swam. His smooth skin was almost translucent, and it blended into his cobalt blue shiny scales. People who lived under the ocean were mermen and mermaids. They looked just like people on the land except they had bodies of fish and fins instead of legs and feet.

Hephaistion was almost fifteen, and he had been waiting for this birthday for a long time. The fifteenth birthday was very special for a merman, since it was the day when he could go up to the surface of the water for the first time in his life. Five years ago, his eldest brother, Ptolemy went to the surface. When he came back, he told his brothers about the moon and the stars he saw. He said that he had never seen so many lights, and they were too far away for him to reach unlike planktons and fish he could touch. But the most astonishing thing was to feel the breezes on his face. He chased breezes, being tickled by them all night long, feeling all tickly and happy.

Next year, Perdiccas went up. He just floated on the surface cradled by the waves. He saw the flickering torches in the temple on top of the hill. Lucid voices traveled down to the ocean along with the heavenly sounds of a lyre. Perdiccas told his brothers that he had never heard music so beautiful that it almost made him cry.

Then Cassander's turn came the following year. He was the most fearless of all; he went up the stream so close to the land. There he saw a deer come to drink water at the stream. Cassander touched its hairy nose making the animal jump and run away. He told his brothers that he had never touched something so smooth and velvety, and the creature could run as fast as dolphins and could jump as high as marlines.

The last year, Nearchus had his chance. He swam into a cave, and amused himself hearing the echo his voice made. But the most amazing discovery he made was when he found a basket floating in the cave. A jug and grapes were in the basket. He said the color of the fruit was as purple as sea urchin, and each drop was three times bigger than sea grapes which grow on the reefs. It tasted nothing like what he knew. He did not have a word to describe it except it tasted so good, but the opposite of salty which they all loved. And when he sipped the liquid in the jug, it made him all warm and fuzzy.

All four brothers told Hephaistion that even with those amazing things they saw on the surface, the world of under the sea was the best of all. Yet they often went up to the surface, arm in arm, leaving Hephaistion and white bubbles behind. How Hephaistion wished that he could go with them. He counted down the days every single day.

One stormy evening, all four brothers ventured to the surface, they were all laughing so hard when they came back. They told Hephaistion that they sang to the sailors to warn and comfort, but instead, the sailors looked so scared and horrified of their voices thinking they were the howling of a stormy wind. They all enjoyed this harmless game.

On one beautiful autumn day, his fifteenth birthday finally arrived. Hephaistion woke up even before the sun came up, unable to sleep with excitement. Grandmother Rhea decorated his hair with strands of pearls. He looked so very handsome, and his blue scales shone brighter than ever. When the golden lights of the sun were replaced with the silver rays of the moon, Hephaistion kicked the water with his full strength, and waved at his brothers with a happy smile on his face. His heart swelled with joy and anticipation.

When he came up to the surface, he saw a ship slowly sailing to the shore. The ship was as big as a whale and glided as smooth as a stingray. Hephaistion's eyes open wide with astonishment when he saw a young man standing at the point of the ship. He had never seen such a beautiful man. His golden hair gently flew in the wind like delicate tentacles of sea anemones, and glittered against the silver rays of the full moon. The pale lights portrayed his determined face and muscular frame. Hephaistion swam alongside the ship just looking up at him until the ship came too close to the shore.

His four brothers were waiting for him when Hephaistion came back to the palace. They all asked him eagerly what he saw.

"I saw a god." And Hephaistion sighed heavily.

"Hephaistion is struck by love sickness."

His brothers laughed at him and teased him, but Hephaistion did not care. His mind chased the image of his golden god all day long. He went up every night hoping to meet his god, but it was not until next full moon when Hephaistion could meet his god again.

A few full moons had passed, and the winter storm started to howl. One day the storm was so strong that they could feel the current swirled even at the calmest part of the bottom of the sea. Hephaistion was worried, since he knew it was a full moon that night, and that was the day when his golden god had sailed.

When Hephaistion came up to the surface, the storm was at its full force. The ship rocked right and left, then up and down; it span like a leaf trapped in a whirlpool. A huge wave hammered the ship, and swallowed it under its white spray. Hephaistion gasped in horror. The whole ship was now under the water.

Hephaistion desperately searched for his golden god by swimming around the sinking ship. When he almost had given up hope, he saw a figure with unmistakable golden hair slowly floating away from the ship. He grabbed him under the arms, and pulled him up to the surface. The waves were still high, but the howling wind started to die down. The worst of the storm had already passed.

Hephaistion swam toward the shore holding his god tight under his arms and making sure that his face stayed above the water. As he came close enough to the shore, he settled him on his tail, and stroked the golden hair out of the face. The storm had died, and the sky was lightning up with a rosy glow on the horizon. The ocean was calm once again, the only trace of the violent storm was the washed in pieces of the shipwreck.

Hephaistion blew air into the god's mouth making him cough up water and stir on his tail. He briefly opened his eyes and looked up at Hephaistion with unfocused gaze. An urgent voice broke the silence.

"Oh my! These must be from Prince Alexander's ship. I hope he is all right."

Hephaistion saw a young woman in blue clothes standing at the shore and searching among the debris. "Prince Alexander" Hephaistion repeated the name in silence, and gently pushed Alexander to the shore before swimming back to the ocean just far enough to hide among the waves. The woman spotted the prince right away. She kneeled beside Alexander, and stroked his hair. Alexander was coming around. Hephaistion watched them for a while, and returned back to the palace under the water. His god now had a name.

Alexander vaguely remembered strong arms pulling him from under the water. The first thing he saw was a beautiful blue with golden dust, just like lapis lazuli. And the first thing he felt was the soft lips and warm breath on his mouth. It tasted of something he had never tasted before. It was salty, but not bitter like seawater; the taste was so mild that it was almost sweet. Alexander tried very hard to make up the face of his savior, but all he saw was a slender figure with long dark hair.

When Alexander finally came around to full consciousness, he noticed that he was lying on the lap of young woman. She smiled and told him that her name was Roxanne, and she found him at the beach among the debris of a shipwreck when she was coming back from her morning ritual at the temple of Athena. She had long black hair and wore blue clothes. Alexander was grateful to her, because he was sure that the blue he saw was her dress, and the slender figure with long hair was Roxanne. She was the one who had saved his life.

It bothered Hephaistion a little to leave Alexander with a young woman, but he was happy. Now he not only knew the god's name, but also he had kissed him. The feeling of the softness still lingered on his lips. For the next few days, Hephaistion visited the beach where he had left Alexander, but the prince was nowhere to be seen. He heard the fishermen talk to each other that they missed Alexander, and the prince was too busy at the palace training to join his father's expedition. Hephaistion thought he needed to go to the palace to see Alexander whatever it took.

Next day, Hephaistion paid the visit to the Sea Witch, Olympias. She lived in the darkest part of under the sea. Thick brown seaweed covered her house. Moray eels hid in the gaps of the chloral wall, and sea snakes swam around her. Even the water in her house felt chiller. Hephaistion gathered his courage and asked Olympias, she was beautiful, but her face was cold as stone.

"Is there anything you can do for me to stay on the land?"

"Why would you like to do such a thing? You will not live long on the land."

"But, I can stay close to this person." Hephaistion blushed.

"Ah, you are in love Hephaistion. There is one thing I can do, but you have to pay a high price for that."

"I would do anything." Hephaistion answered immediately.

"I will give you a potion. You have to be at the beach tomorrow morning at dawn, and drink it before the sun comes out. It will turn your tail to feet, but each time you step on the ground, they will hurt as if a sharp knife was going through them."

"If that is the price I have to pay, I am willing to do it."

"No, my innocent Hephaistion, that is not the price I am asking. I would like you to pay with your beautiful voice."

"My voice…" Hephaistion looked down repeating the request. When he looked up at Olympias again, there was no hesitation in his expression.

"I will pay my voice as a fee."

The Sea Witch Olympias looked at Hephaistion with icy piercing eyes, but Hephaistion did not avert his gaze. She extended a potion in front of him.

"And just one more thing, if you cannot win the prince's heart and if he marries another person, you will become as a foam of the sea and disappear from the world forever. Do you still want this?"

Hephaistion nodded and took the potion from her hand.

Next morning, before anybody in the palace woke up, Hephaistion left for the beach with the potion in his hand. He sat on the sand, and waited for the sun to come up. When he saw the pale blue start to take over from midnight blue at the end of the ocean, Hephaistion drank the potion in one go. It burned his throat, and gave him such a great pain all over his body, that it made him slip into the world of oblivion.

Hephaistion woke up on a soft bed. The ceiling and the wall were made with white marbles, and mosaic stones of various colors decorated the floor. They must have brought him into the palace. He sat on a bed, and swung his tail, instead he saw two feet just like humans. As soon as he set them on a cool stone floor, the incredible pain shot through his feet. It felt as if he was standing on a needle mat.

The door opened, and Alexander came in. Hephaistion's heart stopped.

"I am glad to see you finally up. I am Alexander, the Prince. I found you this morning at the beach, but I have never seen you before, who are you, and where did you come from?"

Hephaistion tried to answer the question, but his voice was gone.

Alexander looked at him with pity.

"Oh, you cannot speak. Do you have a place to go?"

Hephaistion shook his head embarrassed. The pity was the last thing he needed. Alexander smiled warmly. He did not know why but something in this stranger made him believe that he could trust this person. He felt bad to see his words made Hephaistion embarrassed.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to embarrass you. If you do not have a place to go, would you like to serve as my page? I need somebody close whom I can trust."

Hephaistion's face lit up immediately.

"I will have an extra bed brought to my room. From now on, you will stay with me wherever I go. You need a name I can call you though…how about Philalex from Philalexandros, Alexander's friend?"

Alexander shared every thought with Hephaistion. His feet hurt with each step, and he did not have a voice to speak, but he had never been so happy. Yet, the happiness did not last so long. One evening at the balcony, Alexander broke the sad news to Hephaistion.

"I am leaving for the expedition with my father in about a month. My father wants me to marry before I leave, so that I will have an heir. I do not really want to marry anybody yet, but my father would not let me join him unless I chose my bride."

Hephaistion's eyes were filled with tears.

"Oh, Philalex, you do not have to worry, because you are coming with me. I am thinking that I would marry Roxanne, since she is the one who saved my life on that stormy night."

He felt his heart shatter in millions of pieces. Hephaistion wanted to tell the prince that it was him who saved Alexander that night, but his voice was gone.

Next few days, Hephaistion spent his days just sitting at the balcony of Alexander's room, looking down the blue Aegean Sea. He gave up his voice, the beautiful palace, his family, and his almost eternal life as a merman just to be with Alexander, yet his Alexander was giving his heart to somebody else in a few days. All the people in the kingdom were celebrating, but Hephaistion was in deep sorrow.

The night before the wedding, he heard a familiar voice calling him. When he looked down, he saw his four brothers on the surface of the ocean under the balcony.

"Hephaistion!" Nearchus' cheerful vice called his name. His four brothers waved at him, and jumped in the air. Hephaistion noticed the biggest piece of scale was missing from his brothers' tail. Noticing Hephaistion's questioning eyes, Perdiccas murmured blushing.

"We had to pay the fee to the Sea Witch."

"Greedy Witch, but it will grow back eventually." Cassander spat out.

"Here, take this Hephaistion." Ptolemy lifted a dagger in the air, and tossed it to Hephaistion. "If you would like to be a merman again, you have to stab the prince's cold heart on his wedding night before the sun comes out. Come back to the beach, and smear the blood on your feet, and then you will have your tail back. See you tomorrow morning at the palace."

"See you tomorrow Hephaistion." And then they were gone. Hephaistion looked down at the dagger, and sighed deeply. He did not know what he wanted any more.

**Conclusion 1**

On the wedding day, Hephaistion stood by Alexander and watched the prince kiss the bride with pained eyes. Alexander frowned when he did not taste the same salty sweetness in Roxanne's kiss, but he told himself that it was because they were not at the beach, and the taste was just an illusion. Still, the wedding was spectacular.

In the middle of the night, when everybody was asleep, Hephaistion slipped into Alexander's sleeping quarters with a dagger in his hand. Alexander's peaceful face lay by Roxanne's in the light of the pale white spring moon. Hephaistion pulled the dagger and raised it upon Alexander's chest. He had to carry the dagger with both hands, because his hands were shaking so badly. He stood there for a long time. No matter how hard he tried, he could not bring his dagger to sink into Alexander's chest. Being defeated, Hephaistion let his arms fall to his sides.

A sharp edge scraped his thigh. A streak of red blood ran down his leg, and formed a little pool by his foot. The red pool soon turned into a beautiful blue scale with golden glitter. Hephaistion put down his dagger by the scale, and walked to the beach. If he was to be vanished, he wanted to be gone into the ocean, close to his homeland.

The morning sun was coming out of the horizon, just like another beautiful day in spring, but Hephaistion knew that this was the last sunrise he would ever see. When he felt his heart shatter, he heard a tender voice.

"Hephaistion, come with us. You have suffered enough and your soul is pure, join us in the family of Nereids, and help the fishermen fight the storm."

Hephaistion felt his body float, and fifty Nereids welcomed him.

When Alexander woke up in the morning, he found a shining blue scale and a dagger by his bed. He picked up the beautiful scale in his hand, and the overwhelming memory rushed into his mind. It was not Roxanne's blue dress he saw at the beach, but this scale. It was not Roxanne's black hair he saw, but Hephaistion's chestnut hair. And it was not Roxanne's dark eyes he saw, but Hephaistion's deep blue eyes, just like a drop from the Aegean Sea.

Alexander ran to the beach with the scale tightly in his hand, but he did not find even a trace of Hephaistion. He called Hephaistion's name but the only reply he heard was the crashing sound of waves. Alexander stood there looking far out to sea, the morning glow shone upon his teary cheeks, but he did not even bother to wipe them away. His heart ached with disconsolate remorse. Alexander threaded a leather cord through the blue scale; the only memory left of his lost love, and kept it close to his heart and never took it away.

If you go to the beach of the Aegean Sea on a stormy day, and if you listen very carefully, you may hear Hephaistion's four brothers calling their lost brother's name between the breaks of the howling wind, and you may see them chasing every single white foam on the crest of the waves in hopes of finding Hephaistion.

End

**Conclusion 2**

On the wedding day, Hephaistion stood by Alexander and watched the prince kiss the bride with pained eyes. Alexander frowned when he did not taste the same salty sweetness in Roxanne's kiss, but he told himself that it was because they were not at the beach, and the taste was just an illusion. Still, the wedding was spectacular.

In the middle of the night, when everybody was asleep, Hephaistion slipped into Alexander's sleeping quarters with a dagger in his hand. Alexander's peaceful face lay by Roxanne's in the light of the pale white spring moon. Hephaistion pulled a dagger and raised it upon Alexander's chest. He had to carry the dagger with both hands, because his hands were shaking so badly. He stood there for a long time. No matter how hard he tried, he could not bring his dagger to sink into Alexander's chest. Being defeated, Hephaistion let his arms fall to his sides.

A sharp pain shot through his foot, and Hephaistion dropped to his knees. The dagger went through his foot when he dropped it.

"Philalex!" Alexander jumped off the bed horrified waking up with the image of Hephaistion squatted in a pool of blood. He pulled the dagger out of Hephaistion's foot, and tore up the sheet to tie his wound. Roxanne stirred with the commotion, but she did not wake up. Strangely, it never crossed Alexander's mind if Hephaistion was trying to harm him.

Red blood seeped through the white bandage.

"Let me take you to the surgeon. You need stitches."

Alexander looked at Hephaistion's pale face, and saw his mind seemed to be somewhere else. His beautiful blue eyes were filled with the pain of sorrow, not with the physical pain. Hephaistion slowly shook his head, and pointed at the direction of the beach. Although Alexander's mind told him to take Hephaistion to the care of the physician, his heart told him to comply. Alexander nodded, and scooped up Hephaistion in his arms to leave the palace behind to the beach. Red dots marked their way.

When they came close to the shore, Hephaistion tried to free himself from Alexander's hold. Alexander set him on the wet sand sitting himself beside Hephaistion, still holding him by the waist, both looking at the first gray of the dawn on the horizon. The wave washed Hephaistion's blood away from his foot, painting the water crimson red. Alexander could not quite tell, but something was so familiar. He turned and looked into Hephaistion's eyes, and found himself drown into the pureness.

Before he even realized, Alexander was kissing Hephaistion's soft lips, and was shocked to taste the salty sweetness he thought was only possible in the dream. Hephaistion gasped being caught in surprise. When they parted, Hephaistion whispered.

"Alexander…" It was such a tiny voice, but it was loud enough to be heard.

"You can speak, Philalex! Or do you have a different name?" Alexander exclaimed.

"My voice is back…" he murmured in delight. It maybe too late, but he finally could tell Alexander the truth. "My name is Hephaistion, but you can still call me Philalex if you like." Hephaistion replied with now firmer voice.

"Hephaistion… I like the sound of it. It was you who saved me from drowning, was it? I am such a fool. I had you by my side all this time, yet I never noticed that you were the one of whom I dreamed, and you were the one whom I truly loved."

Alexander pulled Hephaistion close, and kissed him again, this time more passionately. Hephaistion melted in Alexander's arms. His wish had finally come true. Hephaistion nested his head at the hollow of Alexander's neck, and waited for the sun to come out. Now, he was ready to be vanished. Instead, Hephaistion felt a tingling sensation in his legs, and saw them turned back to a shiny blue fishtail. Alexander's eyes were wide open with disbelief, then his mouth opened as if he was about to scream; Alexander's legs were turning into a golden fishtail as well.

"Alexander, do you still wish to be with me?"

"Yes, more than anything."

Hephaistion smiled happily and took Alexander's hand. He guided them towards the off shore to the deep sea. They flipped their tails into the air, splashing golden showers against the morning sun before diving into the world of under the sea. Alexander and Hephaistion lived in the palace with four brothers, King Poseidon, and grandmother Rhea, happily ever after.

When you stroll the beach of the Aegean Sea on the night of full moon, you may see two shiny tails, one in blue and one in gold, cheerfully chasing each other, and may hear the laughter travel through the breezes.

End


	4. The Snow Queen

A/N: This is an adaptation of another of H.C. Andersen's fairy tales, 'The Snow Queen".

**Cast:**

The Snow Queen: **Queen Olympias**  
The troll (devil): **Roxane**  
Kai (Kay): **Alexander**  
Gerda: **Hephaistion**  
Grandmother of Kai: **King Philip**  
An old sorceress: **Cassander**  
A field Crow or Raven: **Stateira**  
A tame Crow or Raven: **Drypetis**  
A princess: **Cleopatra**  
Her prince: **Perdiccas**  
A robber hag: **Parmenion**  
The robber girl: **Philotas**  
Bae: **Cleitus**  
A Lapp woman: **Nearchus**  
A Finn woman: **Craterus**

**The Snow Queen**

Once upon a time, deep in the mountains of Bactria, there lived a wicked harpy whose name was Roxane. With her twisted mind, she trapped the ice of the coldest and the darkest part of the mountain, and made an evil mirror. In this mirror, a beautiful meadow turned into the dark underworld, the cutest puppy turned into the vicious Cerbas, and a delightful maiden turned into the bone chilling Medusa.

She taught all the evil tricks to her students at the school in the mountain, and showed them her miracle mirror so very proudly. They laughed in delight seeing all the nicest things turned into the most ugly objects, and the warmest hearts turned into the coldest stones.

One day, they thought it was such a good idea to take the mirror up to Mount Olympus, and make fun of mighty gods and goddess. They carried it higher and higher up in the air, but as they went higher in the sky, the mirror shook violently with laughs of delight.

It shook so hard that they lost their grip on it, and the evil mirror fell to the ground. It broke in millions of little pieces, and the tiny grains scattered all over the world. When people got these splinters of the evil mirror, their eyes saw nothing but ugliness, and their hearts felt nothing but cold.

In a large town called Pella, two boys lived in the palace with many rooms and the courtyard in the middle. They were best friends since they were toddlers, and their friendship grew stronger as they grew. They shared the same passion and love for heroes. A boy with blond hair was the Prince Alexander, and a boy with chestnut colored hair was Hephaistion.

In the summer time, they sat on the stone bench under the shade of an olive tree in the courtyard, and read their favorite story of the Iliad. When their bodies became stiff from sitting too long, they walked through the garden of yellow yarrows and blue irises they grew.

In the wintertime when the snow flurries danced in the air, and their favorite flowers became dormant, they sat in front of the fire, and listened to Alexander's father tell the story of the Snow Queen.

"As a king rules over the land and the people, the Snow Queen rules over the snow flakes. She lives high up in the mountains of the Hindu Kush where the snowflakes cluster the most and never melt."

King Philip looked satisfied at the astonished expressions of the two children and continued.

"But when the god of winter and the north wind, Boreas makes a visit, she travels all over the world in a silver sleigh with her snowflakes."

"What does she look like?" Alexander asked eagerly.

"She is dressed in all white. Her hair is silver white like her sleigh; her robe is pure white like a blanket of snow on the meadow with a trim of the fur of silver fox. Her eyes are the only part that is not white but cold icy blue."

Alexander and Hephaistion shivered with the eerie image of the Snow Queen.

One chilly winter morning, Alexander was sitting by the window looking at the snowflakes fluttering down from the sky while waiting for Hephaistion to join him. He saw a silver white sleigh pass by his window. A woman in all white waved at him, Alexander gasped and stepped back from the window when he met with those icy eyes. He was certain that it was the Snow Queen in his father's story.

Many winters passed, and Alexander did not see the Snow Queen anymore. Alexander and Hephaistion were now young men, and they were even more devoted in love to each other.

"O irises, my most favorite flowers of all. As they reflect the orbs of my love."

Alexander sang passionately to Hephaistion.

"O golden yarrows, my most favorite flowers of all. As they represent the soul of my love."

Hephaistion replied ardently.

One beautiful day in that summer, a terrible change had come between Alexander and Hephaistion. When they were reading the Iliad together under the tree, a gusty wind stirred up dust. Alexander felt a sharp pain in his heart, and in his eye.

"Ouch!" Alexander cried. "Something got into my eye."

"Let me take a look."

Hephaistion cupped Alexander's face, and looked into his eyes, but there was nothing to be seen.

"I don't see anything."

Hephaistion murmured still looking into Alexander's eyes. Alexander blinked a few times, and noticed that there was no more pain.

"I think it got away."

Yet, a splinter of the evil mirror found a way to Alexander's heart and eye, and they were still lodged there.

Soon, the flowers in the garden did not look loving and beautiful to Alexander anymore. Golden yarrows did not inspire him anymore. They were sneering at him as if he were a coward. So he pulled them all out. Then irises accused him for his cruelty, so he pulled them all out as well.

Alexander's brave and caring father looked weak and aged, so he called him a drunken old man. He did not care about anything anymore. He did not even care for Hephaistion whom he loved most.

The winter came again, but Alexander did not want to sit in front of the fire, and read the Iliad with Hephaistion anymore.

"What is the matter with you?"

Worried and distressed Hephaistion asked.

"Nothing! Nothing matters anymore. Leave me alone. You are nothing to me either!"

With these harsh words, Alexander ran away, leaving the heart broken and very sad Hephaistion behind.

Alexander ran and ran until he could no longer breathe, and until the pain filled his empty cold heart. The snow was falling madly covering everything with a soft white blanket. It looked beautiful to Alexander. It was the only thing he saw the beauty in .

A silver sleigh driven by a woman in a white robe with fur trimmings that Alexander saw many winters ago parked in front of him. She motioned him to get on her sleigh. Her pale blue eyes lured Alexander; it gave him a familiar feeling he could not recall. The icy blue was soothing to his frozen heart, and he accepted the Snow Queen's invitation.

She cupped his face with her freezing hands, and kissed his left cheek to numb the cold, and kissed his right cheek to make him forget his past. She whipped the rein pulled by silver wolves, and took Alexander to her palace in the high mountains of the Hindu Kush.

Hephaistion waited on Alexander all night, but when he did not come back, he went out to look for him. He was so worried that it almost made him sick in the stomach. He asked everybody in the palace and the town he met, but nobody knew where he had gone. Many more days and nights had passed without Alexander.

When the spring came, and the buds started to open and the greens painted the meadow, Hephaistion went to the steam to ask the river if he took his Alexander away from him.

"I will offer my dagger to you, so please tell me if Alexander has drowned."

Hephaistion threw his dagger towards the middle of the river, but it landed on the shore by bouncing off the rock. He picked it up, and this time, he got on to the boat that was left at the shore, so that he could throw it further into the middle. As soon as Hephaistion got onto the boat, it swayed with the weight, and before he could even react, it started to sail down the river.

Hephaistion tried to get back to the shore, but it was too late, and there was no paddle to steer it back to the shore. The stream was swollen, and the current was rapid with cold water of melted snow. Hephaistion comforted himself thinking it might take him to Alexander. As the river became wider, the stream became gentler. When he saw a house at the shore, he paddled the water with his hands, and he could almost reach the shore, but he could not close the last distance. He screamed for help.

To Hephaistion's luck, a young man came out of the house and reached his hand to Hephaistion, and pulled him into the shore.

"Thank you. You saved me. My name is Hephaistion."

"And I am Cassander."

He looked at Hephaistion intensely, and did not let go of Hephaistion's hand; instead, he guided him into the house. The house was not so big, but it was beautiful surrounded by flowering gardens, and inside the plastered walls ware covered with paintings of all kinds of flowers as well.

"You live in such a beautiful place."

Hephaistion whispered taken by the beauty.

"You can stay here as long as you want."

Cassander replied with a hopeful wish. Hephaistion thanked him, but he told Cassander about Alexander, and he insisted that he must continue his search. Cassander protested.

"Well, can you at least stay for a couple of days? It is the busiest time for the garden, and I could use the help."

"But of course."

Hephaistion wanted to leave right away, but he felt that he owed Cassander for the rescue from the river, so he agreed to stay.

Cassander had a magical power. He cast a powder of numbing memory over Hephaistion, and let all the yellow yarrow sink under the world. He knew that Hephaistion would remember Alexander if he saw the flower even if his memory became vague. Cassander wished Hephaistion to be his.

Next morning, Hephaistion went out to the garden to help Cassander water the flowers. The garden was magnificent with so many different kinds of flowers in all colors. Hephaistion felt something was still missing, but he could not remember quite what it was. When they came back into the house to rest, Hephaistion gasped. The yellow yarrow painted on the wall was shining gold in the morning rays.

Now he remembered what was missing from Cassander's garden. He ran back outside, and looked for yarrow, but there was not single yarrow in the garden. Big drops of tears fell from Hephaistion's eyes and landed on the ground just where the yarrow used to be. The warm tears sank through the hard soil, and softened it to bring the yarrows back.

"Now, you are back, my most favorite flowers of all. Have you seen Alexander? Is he dead?"

"We were just there in the underworld. He is not dead, because we did not see him there. "

Hephaistion was delighted; at least Alexander was not dead. He asked the anemone if he knew where Alexander was.

"I am the flower of bright red blood. When a wild boar dragged me through the field of mud. Aphrodite gave me a second life as a bud."

"It is a beautiful story, but it does not tell anything about Alexander."

Hephaistion sighed, and asked the larkspur.

"I am the flower of invariable grief. When the wind took my life like a despicable thief. Apollo moaned indisputably in disbelief."

"It is so sad, I am glad it is not about Alexander."

He turned to a narcissus. The flower dipped his head even deeper, and replied.

"I am the flower of obsession. When the goddess Nemesis punished me with great aggression. I could only love me with growing depression."

"Oh, I am so sorry for you, but it still does not tell anything about Alexander."

Hephaistion now realized that he had spent too much time at Cassander's garden, so he thanked him and left there to continue his search. Cassander looked at him longingly until Hephaistion's figure turned into a small grain of sand.

When Hephaistion came to the field, he met a lady dressed all in black who looked foreign. Hephaistion introduced himself, and told her the story of Alexander and asked her if she had seen Alexander.

"My name is Stateira. I think I know him, but do you speak Persian?"

"No, I do not speak Persian." Hephaistion answered regretfully.

"Well, I will try with my best with your language. I work for a princess in a land not far from here. And I think your Alexander is the prince she finally found."

Stateira explained that her Princess had been looking for her husband prince, but nobody could match with her wisdom and boldness until this prince came from a foreign land.

"Oh, he must be Alexander. Could you please take me to him?"

It bothered Hephaistion a bit that Alexander was married to this princess, but he needed to see Alexander well and alive. Late that evening, Stateira and Hephaistion arrived at the palace. Stateira guided Hephaistion to the back door of the kitchen. She knocked on the door, and whispered.

"Drypetis, are you there? It is I, Stateira. Open the door for me."

The door creaked and then slowly and carefully opened not to make any squeaking sounds.

"Stateira, what are you doing here? Why are you sneaking in from the back …. ?"

Drypetis did not finish her sentence noticing a stranger with her sister.

"This is Hephaistion, he is looking for the prince." Stateira explained.

"Oh, that handsome prince with yellow hair with whom our princess fell in love?"

Drypetis pronounced innocently. Hephaistion felt a sting of pain in his heart, but he straightened his posture, and asked them.

"It is he, Alexander. Can you please take me to him? I really need to see him."

Stateira and Drypetis looked at each other, and then nodded.

"You have to be quiet though. We do not want to wake them up."

"I will, I promise." Hephaistion pleaded.

They took him through the corridors of the palace, and stopped when they came to a big wooden door. Drypetis put her finger on her lips, and slowly opened the door to the chamber. A gentle light from the single lamp gave just enough glows in the room. Hephaistion felt his knees shake, but he forced himself to step closer to the bed.

Hephaistion could not help the mixture of disappointment and relief that escaped from his lips, waking both Prince and Princess.

"Who are you?" The alarmed prince asked.

"Why did you bring him here?" The princess glared at the sisters.

"Oh, please do not get mad at them. They were just trying to help."

Hephaistion told the prince and the princess about the story of Alexander.

"So when Hephaistion told you that Alexander is handsome, wise, and brave, you thought it was our prince?" Princess Cleopatra was delighted.

"Yes, my princess." Stateira let out a relieved sigh.

"I am not your prince Alexander, but I am prince Perdiccas. We do not know where your friend is, but you are welcome to stay here as long as you wish."

Prince Perdiccas declared with a gentle smile. He actually looked a little like Alexander. His hair was not as bright, but it was yellow, and he was wise and brave. Hephaistion slightly bowed before replying.

"Thank you for the kindness, but I need to find Alexander. I would like to leave tomorrow if I may."

"Of course you may, but is there anything we can do for you?"

"If you could lend me a horse, then I could cover more ground in shorter time."

"You will have a horse tomorrow morning, it will be yours." The princess smiled warmly.

Next morning when Hephaistion woke up, a new set of clothes and boots were at his bedside. He changed to those fresh clothes before meeting the prince and the princess for breakfast. After the breakfast, they all came out in front of the palace to say goodbye to Hephaistion.

Hephaistion gasped when he saw a magnificent chestnut mare standing and waiting for him. Her rein was made of gold threads, and her mane sparkled decorated with silver leaves. She carried a soft woollen rug and blanket on one side, and a water skin and a pouch filled with gold on the other side.

"This is wonderful, but it is too much to accept."

Hephaistion hesitated.

"No, just accept them. Consider them as a gift from the gods."

The princess smiled sweetly, put a blue cloak around Hephaistion's shoulder, a gold band on his head, and a gold ring with lapis lazuli on his finger. She stepped back and nodded to Hephaistion with satisfaction. He looked like a noble prince.

Hephaistion gratefully accepted the gift, and headed to the north. When he came to the thick forest, his shiny mare attracted the attention of rebels who lived in a palace deep in the woods. Before Hephaistion noticed his surroundings, and was able to react, an old rebel, Parmenion, and his son, Philotas, captured him.

"Well, well, what have we got here. I may just stab this sword into your chest, and take your life right here, or should I keep you as my company."

The old rebel walked around Hephaistion examining him from the top to the bottom with his sword in his hand. His son Philotas stepped in.

"No, father, let me have him please. You already have a companion, besides he is too beautiful to be spent."

"Very well, my son, you had better get the best out of him then, but let me have this gold band."

With this, Parmenion snatched the gold band from Hephaistion's head.

They traveled the thick forest deep in the woods before they finally came to stop at the old palace. The palace was not as magnificent as princess Cleopatra's; it was rough and made with rocks and stones. In the big hall, a pit had been made to cook soup and meat over the open flame. After they ate, Philotas took Hephaistion to his room.

His room was as rough as the rest of the palace, and just one torch on the wall gave a dim light. As his eyes adjusted in the dark, Hephaistion saw a large man chained to the wall and a eagle fastened to a wooden stand at a corner of the room. Pulling Hephaistion closer to the bed, Philotas spoke.

"His name is Cleitus. He is from Bactria, and this is my pet eagle. They are tied because they tried to escape once. Don't make me chain you, too."

Philotas took a dagger from under his pillow, flicked Cleitus' black hair on his forehead with a tip of the dagger, before placing the blade against Cleitus' throat.

"He knows now that I can slash his throat anytime I want."

Philotas grinned darkly, and Cleitus glared at him with his glittering dark eyes, but he did not say a word. Philotas shifted his attention from the black warrior back to Hephaistion.

"So as beautiful as you are, and as well dressed as you are, you must be a prince of some sort."

"No, I am not."

Hephaistion then told Philotas all about Alexander and his journey.

"That is quite a story, but I have never heard of your lost friend."

Philotas yawned, and put his arm possessively around Hephaistion' s torso, and pulled him down on the bed.

"Don't try to escape."

Next moment, Philotas' eyes were closed and his breathings became even, but Hephaistion could not sleep. He worried for Alexander. All of sudden, he heard a sharp voice break the silence.

"I know where your Alexander is."

The eagle was speaking. Hephaistion rubbed his eyes thinking he was dreaming. But the eagle continued.

"I saw him on the silver sleigh with the Snow Queen. She was taking him to Bactria, where high up the elevation, the snow falls deep in winter."

"Oh, poor Alexander, where is this place, Bactria?"

"I know how to get there, I was born and raised there. I know the place very well just like my back yard."

Cleitus yelled.

"Now, you all woke me up." Philotas sat up on the bed rubbing his face.

"Please Philotas. I need to find my Alexander."

Philotas looked at Hephaistion's watery eyes. It reminded him of the pure water of the most beautiful lake in the woods which held his happiest memory.

"All right, I will help you. In the morning, all will go hunting except my father. However, he will drink wine in the mid morning, and take a nap. Then I will let you go with Cleitus."

"Thank you Philotas, you don't know how much this means to me."

Hephaistion hugged Philotas tightly.

"Your eyes reminded me of the most beautiful lake in the woods. Now I will miss them."

"Here, please keep this instead."

Hephaistion took his ring, and handed it to Philotas. The blue stone twinkled reflecting the flame of the torch, and Philotas smiled widely.

Next morning, when Parmenion took a nap as Philotas said, Philotas unchained Cleitus and released him. He brought Hephaistion's mare, and another black stallion, and handed the reins to them.

"Cleitus, you will make sure to guide Hephaistion safely to the land of the Snow Queen!"

Philotas slapped the backs of the horses, and they took off. Hephaistion and Cleitus rode through the heavy woods, a barren plain, and finally stopped at a small stone house.

"Let us go in Hephaistion. This is the house of Nearchus who travels widely. I am sure he knows where to find the Snow Queen."

Cleitus suggested, and they went in. There was a round-faced cheerful man sitting at the table. His face lit up as soon as he saw Cleitus, and he stood up to hug him.

"Here I thought you were dead!"

Cleitus told Nearchus what had happened to him, and then the story of Alexander and Hephaistion.

"Oh, you both had quite an adventure. I do not know where exactly the Snow Queen lives, but I heard she often visits Sogdia. I know a man who lives there. I can write a letter for you to bring, since he is rather a skeptical man, and does not allow any strangers in his house."

Hephaistion and Cleitus stayed a night with Nearchus. The supper was not rich, but it was warm and filling. The next morning, Hephaistion left half of his gold with Nearchus, and left for Sogdia with the letter securely tucked in Cleitus' belt. They rode for another three days in rough mountains before they came in front of another stone house.

A thick smoke rose from the top of the roof. When Cleitus knocked on the heavy wooden door, a man as tall and as big as Cleitus opened the door, but he tried to close it when he noticed that they were strangers. Cleitus lodged his foot between the door and the frame, and handed him the letter from Nearchus.

The man opened the door for them. The inside of the house was steaming with heat.

"So, Nearchus sent you here? Good thing he sent a letter with you, too. I am Craterus."

"Why are you keeping the house so hot?"

Cleitus asked wiping the seeping sweats out of his forehead, and taking off his cloak and boots. Hephaistion followed him and took his cloak and boots off as well.

"It is to keep the Snow Queen from entering. She hates the heat."

"So she lives around here?"

Hephaistion asked excited.

"No, she visits here often, but she lives high up the mountain of the Hindu Kush where snow stays all year around."

Craterus pulled out an old map, and showed them how to get there.

"Is there anything you can give to Hephaistion to help him defeat the Queen? All he has is a dagger."

Cleitus pleaded hopefully.

"No, since she is not a human, no weapon could defeat her. However, she hates any warmth including love and kindness. And most importantly, only one person can go near the palace. If it senses more than one person approaching, it hides itself behind a storm of snow, and nobody can find it."

Next morning, Hephaistion gifted the rest of his gold to Craterus, and left again with Cleitus. When they came half way up the mountain and the snow became deeper, Hephaistion noticed that he had left his cloak and boots at Craterus', but he did not want to go back. He needed to go to Alexander as soon as he could.

The snow became deeper and deeper, and they knew that they were close. Hephaistion and Cleitus stopped and dismounted when they could no longer ride. Cleitus tied their horses to a heavily snow covered shrub.

"I will leave my horse here, so when you and Alexander freed from the Snow Queen, you could ride back home. I wish I could come with you to help."

"No, Cleitus, you should keep your horse."

Hephaistion insisted, but Cleitus shook his head with determination. Hephaistion gave in.

"Thank you Cleitus. But I have nothing left to give you back."

Hephaistion dipped his head sadly. Cleitus put his finger under Hephaistion's chin to lift it up.

"There is one thing you can give me. I always wanted it from the first day I met you. May I have a kiss from you?"

Hephaistion nodded, and placed a soft kiss on Cleitus' lips. Cleitus blushed, and smiled. Hephaistion nodded to Cleitus again, and started climbing up the steep slope. His bare feet screamed in the cold snow and his fingers pained in whipping winds, but Hephaistion did not stop. He knew that Cleitus was watching him, and if he showed any sign of weakness, he would be right by his side to help, and then he would never find the palace of the Snow Queen.

When Hephaistion finally came to the top, he saw a huge ice palace. He tried to run to it, but the big snowflakes blocked his way. He prayed to the gods, and when his prayer reached the goddess Aphrodite, she sent her retinue, erotes through Hephaistion's thick white breaths. They kissed Hephaistion's feet and fingers to ease the cold and the pain, and crushed the snowflakes in little pieces, so Hephaistion could pass.

The door of the palace was thick ice with no handle to open. Hephaistion pushed hard with his whole body, but the door did not even crack open. He prayed to the gods again, and Notus blew the air and flattened the door. The palace wall was made with packed snow, the ceiling and the floor were made of polished ice. The palace was so large, so empty, so cold and so still.

Hephaistion walked through an endless white corridor before coming to a huge room of a frozen lake in the center of the palace. There was no light in the room, but the pale blue, green and purple lights of aurora danced in the room. There was an empty throne in the middle of the lake for the Snow Queen. If she was at the palace, she sat on her throne looking down the lake, which she called 'the mirror of reason'.

There in the middle of the lake, Alexander stood almost immobile, his lips blue with cold. He was trying to make shapes with pieces of ice in his hand. The snow queen had left to spill some snow in the southern country to make lemons and oranges freeze, and give agony to humans, so they would not forget her. But before she left, she told Alexander if he could spell 'eternity' with those ice pieces, then she would release him under her spell, and he was free to leave.

When Hephaistion saw Alexander standing very still with his face so pale and his lips blue, his heart broke and wished that his Alexander were still alive. He rushed to him, and held him tightly in his arms. Warm tears spilled out of Hephaistion's wide blue eyes, and ran down his cheeks and landed on Alexander's shoulder to seep down to his chest.

Alexander flicked his eyelashes, feeling his heart start beating again. Hephaistion's warm tears melted the splinter of the evil mirror lodged in Alexander's heart. Warm tears welled up in Alexander's eyes as well, and melted the splinter in his eye. Now Alexander could feel the love and see the truth.

"Hephaistion?"

When Alexander met with Hephaistion's blue dazzling eyes, the memory flooded into Alexander's mind.

"O irises, my most favorite flowers of all. As they reflect the orbs of my love."

The verse escaped from Alexander's lips.

"O golden yarrows, my most favorite flowers of all. As they represent the soul of my love."

Hephaistion replied with teary eyes. Now he knew that his Alexander was back. They clung to each other, and crushed their lips passionately and ardently. As they kissed, Alexander dropped the ice pieces he was holding. They fell onto the mirror of reason, and spelled the word 'eternity', reflecting the eternal love of Alexander and Hephaistion.

The spell had broken. Alexander and Hephaistion left the ice palace, gathered Cleitus, Craterus, Nearchus, Philotas, Parmenion, Perdiccas, and Cassander on the way back to their kingdom before going on an expedition to defeat the Snow Queen and conquer her land.

End.


	5. Sleeping Beauty

A/N: This is written for my dear beta Fiona for her birthday present. She wanted to read A/H version of 'Sleeping Beauty'. When I did some research on this well-known fairy tale, I found not so well know fact. There was rather unusual second part to the story. Please stop at the first part if you like only traditional 'Sleeping Beauty'. And if you are curious to know the lost story of the second part.

**Cast: **

**Sleeping Beauty:** Alexander  
**Father of Sleeping Beauty:** King Philip  
**Mother of Sleeping Beauty:** Queen Olympias  
**Prince:** Hephaistion  
**Father of Prince:** Amyntor  
**Mother of Prince:** Roxane (Lamia)  
**Cook:** Cleitus  
Twelve gods and goddess of Olympus  
Moirae  
Eileithyia  
Eros  
Helios

**Part 1**

A long time ago, there lived King Philip and Queen Olympias in the land called Macedon. For a long time, they wished for a baby but to no avail their desires had been unfulfilled. It was already early autumn, but the air was still warm. On one fine evening when the air was particularly warm and muggy, the Queen bathed in the shallow pool at the courtyard of the palace to keep her cool.

The full moon rose slightly on the eastern sky, and the veil of the night gently started to fall. The air was filled with sweet aroma of purple thymus, white felty germander, and pale blue rosemary. The Queen lifted her hand out of the pool making a small waterfall from the tips of her fingers. A white snake appeared through the fragrant bushes, and silently slithered into the pool. He swam straight up to the Queen, and coiled him up around her lifted arm.

"Father Zeus granted your wish, and you will have a son before a year is gone."

The snake hissed to her before swimming away and disappearing back into the bushes. King Philip and Queen Olympias were so delighted with this fine news.

What the snake had told her became true. On one early morning in Heckatombaion, Queen Olympias gave a birth to a beautiful boy. His silky hair shone in golden as if it trapped the rays of morning sun. His eyes were as clear and deep as the spring in Edessa, and his lips were as full and soft as a bud of pink roses.

The little prince was not only beautiful, but also strong. His tiny fingers gripped the king's forefinger so tightly, that he had to use his other hand to set it free. The proud king named his son Prince Alexander, and planned a grand banquet for the cerebration.

Twelve Olympian gods and goddesses came down from Mount Olympus to give the Prince blessings. Goddess Aphrodite gave him love and beauty, god Ares promised victories at war. Goddess Athena gifted wisdom, and joyful god Dionysus granted never-ending supply of quality wine.

God Hephaestus promised well-equipped army, god Hermes gave him a diplomatic skill, and the moody god Poseidon gifted an access to all the oceans in the world. Apollo rewarded a musical talent, and his twin sister goddess Artemis permitted the prolific hunts.

Goddess Hera blessed the Prince with a prospering and happy family along with goddess Hestia. When mighty god Zeus was just about give the prince the final blessing, Moirae slipped into the banquet.

"I gave you a life, prince Alexander." Clotho announced.

"And I will give you for sixteen years to live." Followed by Lacesis.

"On your sixteen year's birthday, you will prick your finger with a dagger. Then I will snap the yarn of the life."

Atropos declared harshly, and everybody gasped. The King and the Queen were deeply dismayed. They finally were gifted with a son, but now he was destined to live only for sixteen years.

At that moment, Zeus rose from his chair.

"Those are the words of Moirae, and even I cannot reverse it. However, what I can do is to make it less serious. Alexander will indeed prick his finger with a dagger, but he will not die, instead, he will go into a deep sleep until his true love would kiss him to break the curse and wake him up."

The king was still so worried for the prince's safety that he ordered his whole kingdom to bury all the daggers. He also told his people that if they were caught with carrying such a weapon would be executed. To enforce this, the king instructed holes be dug around the palace, and have all daggers thrown into them. After they were securely covered with dirt, they planted thorny climbing roses over them, to prevent anyone from digging them up..

Sixteen years had passed with no furry, and Prince Alexander was ever so handsome. His golden main flowed freely onto his wide shoulders, and his hawk like eyes shone with passion. He still had lips soft and full like pale pink rose buds making all the girls in Pella dream about him for all day and night.

Right after the celebration of his sixteenth birthday, the king and the queen made him go to bed and commanded the guards not to let anybody pass. They could not rest in peace until the day was over.

Alexander tried to go to sleep, but it was too early, and his young body with full of life and energy was not tired at all. Being a good son, he still lay on bed. The room was rather too warm. A trace of hot summer sun still lingered in the chamber before being taken over by the cool night air. Unable to bear the heat, Alexander stood up and opened the window.

Gentle breezes flowed into the room carrying the sweet aroma of summer flowers.

"Alexander….Alexander…."

He heard somebody call his name with faint whisper.

"Who is there?"

"Come out Alexander."

The voice was melodic and soothing to the ear.

"Who are you?"

Alexander could not help but climb out of the window to follow the voice.

"This way Alexander."

The voice guided him to the climbing rose bushes that surrounded the palace. Something shone in the full moon light at the root of the climbing bushes. Alexander wanted to take a closer look, and reached out his hand. As soon as he touched the edge of the shining material, it pricked his forefinger, and the next moment, Alexander fell to the ground in deep sleep.

The morning came, and when Alexander failed to show up for the breakfast, the King and the Queen rushed into Alexander's chamber, but their precious prince was nowhere to be seen. They looked everywhere inside of the palace, but they could not find him anywhere.

Queen Olympias was half mad, she cried out for Alexander's name and run around the yard. When she finally found her beautiful son lying on the ground unconscious, she dropped to her knees. At that moment, she saw a dagger protruding out of the soil that was pushed out by the root of climbing rose, and immediately she became aware at what had happened.

They carried the Prince to his chamber in the palace, and gently placed him in his bed. Queen Olympias put a cover over Alexander with teary eyes, and King Philip kissed his crown before they left Prince's room. Father Zeus felt a pity to the mortals. A flashing lights shot from his scepter and filled the entire palace. Anybody and anything being hit by the divine light fell into a deep sleep as well.

Horses fell asleep in the stables; soldiers dropped to the ground in the training field. Cooks and servants fell asleep right where they were. Even stew boiling over the open fire stopped the babblings. Many years had passed. Climbing roses entwined their vines tightly together, and the palace was completely hidden behind the thorny bush.

Many girls tried to get to the palace to wake the prince with their kiss. But they all were caught with the thorns of roses, and could not pass through the thickened bush. One day, a prince from the neighboring kingdom went for a hunt. His name was Prince Hephaistion, the most handsome prince in all of the lands.

His long tassels shone in urbane as if the rays of the setting sun were trapped inside. His beautiful blue eyes were the deepest blue of the Aegean Sea. His lean body was lithe and graceful with every movement. He was so focused on chasing the deer in front of him that he did not notice that he came too far.

The deer jumped high over the climbing rose bushes, which slightly parted for him to let him pass, and disappeared behind the thorn. Hephaistion did not hesitate. He kicked his horse's side hard, and jumped over the bush in full speed. The thorny bushes parted again, and he safely landed onto the other side. Hephaistion noticed that something was very strange around him. Everything was so still; even the air did not move.

He cautiously moved towards the palace, and entered. The palace was magnificent; colorful stone mosaics covered the whole floor, contrasted with white marble columns that neatly lined up, and beautiful pictures of Mount Olympus decorated the walls. However, very strangely, everybody seemed to be in deep sleep. Hephaistion shook the shoulder of a sleeping slave on the floor, but he could not wake him up.

So he kept walking deeper to the end of the corridor, which stopped in front of an intricately decorated heavy wooden door. When he pushed it open, Hephaistion gasped. He saw the most beautiful person sleeping on the bed. His golden locks sparkled like the sun, and his lips so full and soft. Hephaistion was transfixed to the spot by his beauty.

When he finally came back to himself, he walked to the bed, and took the beauty's hand. It was nice and warm, so Hephaistion knew that the person was not dead. Hephaistion's eyes roamed over the sleeping beauty's face, and could not resist the temptation of lowering himself to kiss the inviting lips. It felt so good and so right. As soon as their lips parted, Alexander opened his eyes and blinked few times.

The first thing that the long slept prince saw was a pair of beautiful azure eyes, they were so clear and blue that Alexander felt almost being sucked into them. Without breaking an eye contact, Alexander sat up on the bed.

"You woke me up with a kiss ….."

Somehow it did not come out right, and Hephaistion blushed.

"I am sorry."

"No … I mean, thank you."

Alexander quickly added, which gained a shy smile from the young stranger. Alexander had not seen such a beautiful person. He wondered if this stranger was a god who descended from Mount Olympus.

"I am Alexander, the Prince of Macedon, and you are?"

"I am Hephaistion, the Prince of Thessalia."

Hephaistion smiled brilliantly, and Alexander could not help but pull him down onto his bed. The attraction to each other was instant and strong. They could not keep eyes or hands off from each other. A kiss was followed with another kiss deepening at each time, and finally led to a passionate lovemaking on the soft bed of sleeping palace that was repeated tirelessly until they both were finally spent and exhausted.

When the sun rose in the next morning, the palace came alive. The birds started to sing again, the servants picked themselves up from the floor, and the soup started to boil once more. King Philip and queen Olympias also woke up from the deep sleep, and they rushed to the prince's quarters.

When they saw two beautiful young men sleeping peacefully in each other's arms, they smiled with delight. Now they knew that their son found the true love, and the dreadful spell of Moirae was broken. The king ordered the immediate celebration of the wakening. Alexander and Hephaistion married on the next day, and everybody was so very happy.

* * *

**Part 2:**

After spending three whole enchanting days, Hephaistion told Alexander that he needed to go home, as his father had been ill, he had to take care of the kingdom. However, he promised to come back and visit him every seven days. Alexander did not want to let Hephaistion go, but he understood. They held onto each other for a long time, before Hephaistion reluctantly got on the horse and left the palace.

When Hephaistion came home to his parents, the king Amyntor and the queen Roxane were very pleased. They were starting to worry about him for his long absence. He told them that he was lost during the hunt, and spent days in the woods. The king believed Hephaistion, but the queen was suspicious seeing Hephaistion even more beautiful.

As Hephaistion promised, he went back to see Alexander every seven days, and spent three fervent and ardent days with Alexander at his each visit. However, for Hephaistion's dismay, king Amyntor's illness was gradually getting worse. The physician told him that the King would not live for no longer than three years.

Hephaistion was worried so much that he did not feel well himself. On the third time when Hephaistion visited Alexander, he was very distressed. Alexander was concerned to see Hephaistion very pale, and so he ordered a servant to bring warmed wine mixed with spring water and honey.

"Here drink this Hephaistion. It will give you some strength."

Hephaistion took the goblet, and smiled weakly. As soon as the smell hit his nose, a wave of nausea attacked him, and Hephaistion had to run to the other room. Alexander was right behind him. Since his stomach was empty, nothing came out but dry heaves. Alexander gently rubbed Hephaistion's back while holding Hephaistion's silky long hair twisting at the base of his nape.

After the attack subsided, Alexander helped Hephaistion get up, and guided him back to the bed. His trembling hands were ice cold. He gently wiped Hephaistion's sweaty brows with a wet cloth, and whispered.

"I hope you have not caught that which inflicts your father. Oh gods, please do not take him away from me."

Alexander disparately prayed to the gods. At that moment, a bright light formed at the corner of the chamber, and two goddesses appeared.

"Do not worry Alexander. Hephaistion is not ill, but he is with child."

Hephaistion's eyes grew very big, and Alexander's jaw dropped, and they screamed in unison.

"How? What? It is not possible!"

Goddess Hera smiled sweetly.

"Anything is possible for Olympians. I promised you a family along with goddess Hestia here when you were born, Alexander. And this was the only way that I could keep my promise to you, since your true love was not a female."

She enjoyed watching their astounded expression for a minute and then continued.

"Do not worry, when the time comes, I will send you Eileithyia, and she will take care everything for you. You will not feel a thing, Hephaistion."

And then the goddesses disappeared. Alexander and Hephaistion could not believe what they heard, but when it sank into their mind, they were in bliss, and held onto each other tightly with great joy.

Soon, Hephaistion's sickness went away. Thereafter, his amour started to snug tightly on him, Hephaistion told his parents that he was going for a military training to the neighboring kingdom. King Amyntor had to agree to it, because he knew for a fact that the Persians would attack them once he was gone. And he was too sick to teach Hephaistion on any war tactics.

So, Hephaistion spent the rest of his pregnancy in Pella until the time came. Not only Alexander but also everybody including king Philip and queen Olympias fussed around him that Hephaistion had to remind them more than once that he was not ill, but just with a child.

When it was the time for the baby to be born, goddess Eileithyia appeared just like goddess Hera had promised. With a touch of her hand on Hephaistion's belly, a beautiful boy was born, and they named him Helios. He had Alexander's gorgeous blond hair, and Hephaistion's astonishing blue eyes. The whole kingdom was in celebration with an arrival of an heir.

Next year, Hephaistion gave a birth for another beautiful baby, this time it was a girl, and they named her Eos. She had Alexander's sweet lips, and Hephaistion's cute nose. She was so sweet that everybody's hearts melted at one glance of her. Alexander and Hephaistion were proud parents, and king Philip and queen Olympias were proud grandparents. As the goddess promised, they were indeed a very happy family.

Behind those happy events, the shadow of unhappiness was slowly creeping in. It had been almost three years since the physician's diagnosis, and king Amyntor's health was further deteriorating. Hephaistion asked Alexander if they could see his father with their two children. He wanted his father to know that his kingdom would be safe even after he had gone.

"But of course Hephaistion. I have been wondering why you did not want to introduce us to your family."

"I am sorry Alexander, I did not tell you this before, but my mother is a descendent of Lamia. It is not that I do not love my mother, but I cannot quite trust her."

"You mean Lamia, one of the Empousae? A child eating …"

Alexander could not say a word monster. Hephaistion nodded shamefully. Alexander gathered him in his arms, and ensured him.

"Oh, poor Hephaistion. My love for you will never change no matter what, and do not worry, everything would be fine."

When Alexander and Hephaistion arrived at kingdom of Thessalia with their two beautiful children, they announced their marriage. Everybody in the kingdom was very happy, except queen Roxane who felt that her son was stolen by a stranger. No wonder he spent so much time away from her. A month later, king Amyntor passed away, and as he suspected, they heard that the Persians were organizing the force to attack.

Although Queen Roxanne had not had any human child since she gave a birth to Hephaistion, Hephaistion did not want to leave their children with his mother, and Alexander agreed. They took their children back to Macedon, and left them with Queen Olympias before joining with the army of king Philip.

Queen Roxane did not like the idea, but she kept quiet until all had left for the war. When they were all far enough, she visited Queen Olympias, and pleaded to her.

"Please queen Olympias, let me spend some time with my grandchildren in Thessalia. I never had a chance to see them grow. Let them stay with me for just for a while, as Thessalia is as much home as Macedon for them."

Queen Olympias did not have a heart to reject her appeal; she understood how a grandmother must have felt. So she let Roxane take the children back to Thessalia.

Everything was normal and fine in Thessalia for a while, but as the time passed queen Roxane's urge to taste young tender flesh grew stronger everyday. Those children smelled so delicious. Finally she thought to herself. I will eat just one, a little princess Eos. She is just two year old and so tiny, Alexander and Hephaistion would not doubt if I told them that she caught a death of cold.

She called the royal cook Cleitus and ordered him.

"I think I will have Eos for dinner tonight."

Cleitus became so pale with the awful thought of cooking little princess, but he knew better that he should not protest against her. He bowed to her deeply without a word, and left to get the Princess.

When Cleitus went into the nursery, beautiful little princess was taking a nap on the small bed. Her face was so innocent and peaceful that Cleitus could not raise his blade. Instead, he picked her up and brought her to Ptolemy telling him to hide her well from the Queen.

He butchered a little lam and cooked it in a special sauce with special herbs. The meat was so tender that it melted on the tip of the tongue. Queen Roxane was very pleased with the dish, and awarded Cleitus with gold.

Seven days passed, and the Queen was craving for the tender meat again, she could not forget the exquisite taste of young princess. So she told herself. I would tell Alexander and Hephaistion that prince Helios fell off the wall and broke his neck when he was playing. Surely they could adopt another beautiful child like they did before. She had no idea that he was her own grandson.

So, she called Cleitus again and ordered him to cook prince Helios in the same savory sauce. Cleitus did not think twice this time. He hurried to prince Helios who was playing a soldier in the yard, and took him to Ptolemy to hide. He then hunted a young deer and cooked it in the same sauce. The queen was very satisfied with the taste again.

Now, the queen's taste buds were woken again, she was getting irritable by the day craving for more flesh of young children, and her senses became very sharp. Her face lit up with joy when she smelled a delicious aroma of sweet children while she was walking through the courtyard. She followed the smell, and saw Helios and Eros playing through the window of Ptolemy's house.

She was furious. She immediately called Ptolemy and Cleitus, and told them to bring two children. There was no way of escaping from her this time. She set a tub in the middle of the yard, and filled it with venomous snakes and other poisonous creatures. When Queen Roxane was just about ready to pick up poor Eros, Alexander and Hephaistion galloped into the yard.

"What are you doing, mother!?"

Hephaistion jumped off the horse, and snatched Eros from Roxane's grip, while Alexander picked up Helios in his arms.

"Mother, have you really looked at them? Look at them closely. Do you notice anything?"

Roxane looked puzzled, but she stared at the beautiful children in the arms of the young handsome men and then she gasped. She noticed the same stunning Hephaistion's blue eyes in Helios' face that was flamed with shining golden hair just like Alexander's. And she saw the same cute nose of Hephaistion in the middle of Eos' face with irresistible lips of Alexander.

"But how, it is not possible …"

Roxene murmured.

"Goddesses Hera and Hestia promised a family when I was born, and goddess Eileithyia helped Hephaistion to give birth to our children."

Alexander explained.

Roxane was so ashamed of what she could have done, and threw herself in the venomous tub. Hephaistion sealed his children, and Alexander shield Hephaistion from seeing the terrible sight. It was sad that queen Roxane was gone like that, but they did not have to worry about their children become victims of Lamia any longer.

Macedon and Thessalia were united under one kingdom of Alexander and Hephaistion. Their allied defeated the Persians, brought peace and harmony to the world, and Alexander and Hephaistion lived happily ever after watching their beautiful son and daughter grow.

End.


	6. Hansel and Gretel

A/N: Although this is an adaptation of the same named tale by the brothers Grimm, a major alteration was done to the story to fit into Alexander and Hephaistion's world.

**Chapter 6: Hansel and Gretel**

**Cast:**

**Hansel:** Alexander  
**Gretel:** Hephaistion  
**Father:** King Philip  
**Mother:** Queen Olympias  
**Witch (Griffin):** Roxane  
**Special guest:** Cassander

Once upon a time there lived a very jealous queen named Olympias. She loved her son, Prince Alexander, so deeply that she did not want anybody to come between her and her precious son. Prince Alexander was very lonely, because he did not have any friends. Whoever came close to him, either girls or boys, they froze to the spot with Queen Olympias' icy gaze, and ran away at her harsh words.

King Philip was very worried about his son. He knew that it was very important for Alexander to have trusted friends of his age if he were to become a king. But with Queen Olympias around, it was impossible for Alexander to even have a simple friend. King Philip decided to make a change. He called the famous philosopher Aristotle from Lesbos and requested him to tutor his son.

While waiting for Aristotle to arrive, King Philip ordered a school to be built in Mieza. Queen Olympias strongly protested at this saying that Alexander already had a great teacher, Lysimachus, and it made no sense to send him away just to receive an education. King Philip told the Queen that Alexander should be provided with the best education from the best teacher, and that going away from the palace was necessary for him to concentrate on learning.

Queen Olympias was not happy at all, but she had no choice but to agree. After all, her husband was the King. In that summer, Prince Alexander left for Mieza with a handful of his friends whom he had hardly ever talked to before. The Queen worried so much that Alexander's new friends would take her precious son away that she arranged to send her own spy, Cassander, with the group. She demanded him to send a detailed report daily about everything that happened around Alexander.

A few months had passed with no worry for the Queen. Cassander's report was boring, and nothing exciting seemed to be happening. A report from Cassander in the third month changed everything. He told queen Olympias that he had found a secret of Alexander's one afternoon when he caught a glimpse of the Prince leaving the school.

The Queen's eyes grew bigger when she read the following part.

_I carefully followed Alexander. It was not that difficult, since he was in a hurry and did not care about making too many noises. I could easily cover my own. He soon led us up to a small lake with a waterfall behind the school. A young man was waiting for him in the pool. I immediately recognized him even from a distance with his god like body and long chestnut colored hair. It was Hephaistion from Aristotle's class. Alexander stripped his clothes and eagerly jumped into the pool to join with Hephaistion. They tugged for each other, and their lips connected passionately._

What? Queen Olympias could not believe what she was reading. Her vision blurred with rage, but she took a deep breath and continued.

_From what I saw, I could tell that they had been doing this rendezvous for quite some time. The familiarity and the love between them were so obvious. I could have never guessed though, since they hid their feelings for each other so well at school. Hephaistion is a very beautiful man, and he instantly attracted everybody's attention when we first arrived at Mieza, but he acted as if he was not interested in relations at all. Now it all makes sense. He did not need anybody; he had Alexander._

Queen Olympias clenched her hands so tightly that the scroll from Cassander crumbled up. She knew she could not do anything while the King was at the palace, so she patiently waited for an opportunity. When king Philip finally left for the siege of Perinthus, she did not waste any time in visiting Alexander in Mieza. She had a very wicked plan in her mind.

She asked Aristotle to gather the students, and when they were ready, she stood in front of them smiling sweetly.

"I have to ask one of you to bring an important letter to my home town in Epirus."

Everybody gasped. There lived vicious bears, wolves and lynxes in mount Smolileas, and even if you were lucky enough to escape from them, one of the descendants of disgraced griffins still waited at Vikos Gorge. It became greedy and took the gold to itself, and was exiled from Hyperborea. Moreover, once you got back into the Vikos Gorge, the plain roads to the town of Epirus turned into an intricate maze, and nobody had ever escaped from it to return.

Queen Olympias ignored the alarm, and continued.

"As you all know King Philip is away for the war, and we have nobody trustworthy left at the palace. Who is the strongest and the bravest of all?"

"Hephaistion is!" Cassander shouted in no time. Alexander shot at him a death gaze, but Cassander pretended that he did not notice, and carried on.

"He is the strongest at the wrestling match among us, and he is brave."

"Is that so Alexander?" Queen Olympias smiled with satisfaction.

"Yes, mother but …"

"I am honored to accept your request." Hephaistion interrupted.

"Very well, Hephaistion. This is the letter I want you to bring."

Queen Olympias left a letter in Hephaistion's hand with a delightful laughter trailing behind.

Alexander was very worried for Hephaistion, but he had a plan. He gathered many shining white opals from his chest, and crushed as many peppercorns as he could find in the kitchen. He snuck into Hephaistion's room in the middle of the night.

"Alexander, what are you doing here?"

Still awoke Hephaistion asked. Alexander handed him two pouches.

"I brought these. Sprinkle this pepper powder on you before entering the mountains. It will keep the vicious animals away. And as soon as you arrive at the maze of Vikos Gorge, drop these opals one by one behind you. They will trap even the faint rays of the moon, and you can easily find your way back."

Hephaistion thanked Alexander, and they kissed tenderly to savor their night together.

Next morning, Hephaistion left for Epirus. When he came close to the mountain, he sprinkled powder of black pepper over him. It made his nose itch and sneeze, but he made sure that he used a good amount of it to cover his whole body. Thanks to the repellent, all those vicious animals did not come close to him.

Once Hephaistion entered into Vikos Gorge, he carefully dropped opal stones behind him as Alexander told him, and he arrived at the town before long with no trouble. As soon as he delivered the Queen's letter, Hephaistion hurried back. He wanted to leave this eerie place as soon as possible, and go back to Alexander.

Now the maze of Vikos Gorge changed its face and it became alien; thick fogs rose to the knees and the dense branches draped toward the ground. Thanks to the opal stones, he had no problem finding his way back. The opals caught even the slightest light in the thick fog, and shone like stars to give Hephaistion a guiding light.

When Queen Olympias found that Hephaistion had made it back safely, she was furious. She was even angrier when she found out the tricks he used. Fine, she thought. She would have a better plan next time. So, she approached Hephaistion who was reading Iliad with Alexander in the shade.

"Hephaistion my dear, I was very impressed with your courage. I have one more request for you. Would you take some Macedonian wine to my hometown? I would like to give my people a chance to taste this exquisite gift from the gods."

Hephaistion did not hesitate at all, since he now knew what to do to come home safely. He left again next morning with five barrels of fine Macedonian wine in the back of a carriage. What he did not know was that Queen Olympias had instructed Cassander to follow him, and gather the opal stones at the half way in the maze, so that Hephaistion would get lost in the middle of Vikos Gorge.

Another surprise waited for Hephaistion when he arrived at Queen Olympias's hometown. Alexander poked his golden head from one of the barrels.

"What are you doing here?"

Alexander put his finger on his lips, and hid behind a bush taking an empty barrel with him. Hephaistion hurried to Alexander as soon as he had delivered the remaining wine.

"I was so worried for you that I had to follow."

"Thank you, Alexander. Although I think it was unnecessary, I am glad that you are here with me."

They followed the opal stones to hurry back to Mieza until they disappeared into thin air. They looked around in all directions, but there was not a single glitter to be found on the trail.

"Oh, no! They are all gone!"

"We cannot just stay here, Hephaistion. Let us keep moving. "

They walked all night on the dark trail of many twists and turns. They were tired, hungry and thirsty. The only comfort was that at least they had each other.

A sweet aroma floated in the air, and they followed the smell instinctively. Soon, they came to an open field. A small cottage stood in the middle. The sweet smell was radiating from the entire house.

"This house is made with a honey cake." Dazed Hephaistion whispered.

"Oh, and look at this, dried figs and dates are buried on the walls, too. Hum… it smells so good." Equally amazed Alexander commented.

They broke little pieces from the edge of the house. They could not resist trying them. It tasted sweeter than any honey cakes they had ever had before.

The door of the house suddenly opened, and a woman appeared, who quickly grabbed Alexander and Hephaistion by the arms. She looked like a human all over except her hands. They had sharp nails and the grips of strong vultures.

"Well, well, what have we got here? Two plump dinners for me?"

"Who are you? I am the prince of Macedon, take your dirty hands off us."

Alexander yelled as he struggled.

"Oh, I don't care. I am Roxane, a descendant of vicious griffins, I can shred you and tear you in pieces anytime if I want to."

She dragged Alexander and Hephaistion into the cottage.

"You are a bit too lean for my liking. I will feed you well before I eat. Let us see, you seem to have more meat, I will eat you first."

With this, she pushed Alexander into a cage, and locked him up.

"And you, the skinny one, you will work for me and do what I say."

She fed them with hearty meals and she checked them every night after the meal.

"Hum, you are getting a bit better, but still too lean. And you, where are you burning all this food I feed you? You haven't gained a thing. "

The woman complained. Alexander told Hephaistion to run away, but he did not listen. How could he leave his lover in the hands of a man-eating monster? He also noticed that the woman could not see very well when it got dark. So, next time when he went out to fetch the water, he picked up a smooth branch and brought it back. He handed it to Alexander in the cage.

"Here Alexander, take this. Next time, when she examines your arm, stick this out instead. She won't be able to see the difference."

The woman was upset when she grabbed a branch instead, and growled.

"What happened here? You are not only not gaining any more meat, but also your skin got rougher. I must have to feed you more sweet wine."

A couple more nights had passed, and Roxane's patience ran out. She took a huge pot out from storage, and told Hephaistion to fetch the water and fill the pot.

"I cannot wait any longer. I will cook him for supper tonight."

She mumbled to herself. When she went close to the steaming pot, Hephaistion threw a good amount of pepper powder he still carried in the pouch under his belt in front of Roxane's nose. As soon as she sneezed loudly and bent over the boiling pot, Hephaistion kicked her hard before snitching a key to the cage from her sash.

Roxane fell into the pot with a big splash and agonizing scream. Hephaistion opened the cage, and they rushed out of the cottage. The moment they were out, the house exploded high up in the air making a shower of griffin eggs falling from the sky. She must have hidden them deep into the wall. As the eggs hit on the ground, they turned into beautiful agates and sapphires.

Just then, Queen Olympias ran up to Alexander and Hephaistion with their friends close behind her. After she found Alexander was missing as well, she realized what a terrible thing she had done, and came looking for them. She took hands of Alexander and Hephaistion.

"I am sorry my son and Hephaistion. I was wrong. I was so worried about losing my son to others that my stupidity almost cost the life of my precious son. And Hephaistion, thank you for being so loyal to Alexander. Now I can see that you two are the perfect couple to be together."

Alexander and Hephaistion hugged the Queen warmly. Now the vicious monster was dead, and the spell of the Vikos Gorge had been broken, the trade between Macedon and Epirus was reinstated. And with all those precious jewels of griffin, Alexander and Hephaistion had enough fortune to go on for an expedition to the East. Well, they will meet griffins again, but it would be a story of another time.

End


	7. Cinderella

A/N: This is an adaptation of old Egyptian myth, believed to be the oldest version of Cinderella story. There is also another slightly different version calls "The Girl with the Rose Red Slippers" where the heroine is treated like a princess.

**Chapter 7: Cinderella**

**Cast:**

**Cinderella (Rhodopis):** Hephaistion  
**Pharaoh:** Alexander  
**Captain of Pirate Ship:** Cleitus  
**Old Master (Charaxos):** Aristotle  
**Servant:** Perdiccas  
**Evil Slave 1:** Cassander  
**Evil Slave 2:** Roxane

Hephaistion sighed heavily while gathering washed in driftwood on the plain. It was at the end of the season Shemu (*1), and the intensity of the sun was increasing especially in the mid day. He took an extra cloth out of his chiton, and tied it around his forehead so that the beads of sweat did not get into his eyes.

Soon Akhet (*2) would arrive, and the mother Nile would inundate the plain. They had to gather as much driftwood as they could before the city of Naucratis became an island of the Aegean Sea. Hearing the laughter brought by a breeze, Hephaistion sighed again.

Cassander and Roxane were supposed to be working together with him, but they were resting in the cool shade under the tree talking about him, and laughing at him. Hephaistion did not mind working hard, but he wished that he had a friend to share a conversation.

The only person who spoke to him without teasing was his master, Aristotle and a servant, Perdiccas, but he hardly had a chance to talk to them. His master was getting old, and he spent most of his days resting in his room, and sleeping. And Perdiccas was usually assigned to a different duty.

He looked over the plain towards the Aegean Sea. It had been almost ten years since he became a possession of local rich merchant, Aristotle. How many times did he reiterate what had happened on that night in his mind, and how many times did he regret leaving his parents' house on that night?

It was a hot summer night. Hephaistion woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweats. The air was thick, saturated with moistness making it almost impossible for him to breathe in. He got out of bed and walked to the window. When he pushed the drapes away, the pungent smell of the ocean filled his nostrils reminding him of the pleasant sensation of cool water against his heated skin.

He knew that his parents prohibited him going to the beach by himself after dark, but the temptation was too much. Hephaistion thought that he would swim just for a short time to cool down, and he would come back home before his parents woke up.

Hephaistion stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He already felt cooler in the open air. The half moon reflected on the surface of the dark ocean, and the sparkling swaying waves looked so inviting. Hephaistion hurried to the beach, and jumped into the calm wave indulging the coolness on every surface of his body.

After submerging completely under the water, he floated on his back letting the ocean gently cradle his body. He could not help smiling looking up at the sky that was lit with and full of twinkling stars. It was so quiet and peaceful. He closed his eyes only listening to the chopping sounds of waves against his ears.

Hephaistion's eyes flung open when he heard an alarming noise of breaking surf. He started to swim back toward the beach with full speed, but the boat was lots faster than him, and the last thing he remembered was hearing a thumping noise and a sharp pain on the back of his head.

When he woke up next time, he was in a dark room in the bottom of the ship packed with people of various ages. The only common thing among them was that everybody looked so worried and scared. His heart jumped, as he understood that he was captured by a pirate, and was to be sold as a slave in a foreign land.

They sailed for days; the condition of the bottom of the ship was not that great, but they were fed regularly, and the place was kept relatively clean. After all, they were a precious cargo. After disembarking the ship, they were all given a bath and a new clothes. They were also groomed carefully to look their best to line up for the captain's inspection.

The captain of the pirate ship was a large muscular man with black hair and black eyes. He carefully examined his cargo starting from one end of the line to the other. As he inspected, he had them divided into three groups; strong men to do the hard labor, old men and women for household servants work, and young girls and boys for an entertainment.

"Look what we have here." The captain's face lit up, and was filled with a large smile when he stopped in front of Hephaistion.

"Keep him separated, he is an exquisite cargo. We will take him to Naucratis where all those rich merchants live. We can make a good fortune out of him."

The captain barked as he lifted Hephaistion's face by grabbing his chin with his thumb and a forefinger.

They put Hephaistion back on the ship after selling all the other captives, and sailed further west to a city in Egypt. As the captain predicted, the richest merchant in town paid a great deal of money to purchase Hephaistion. Having beautiful slaves in the house determined the social status of the household.

The master treated Hephaistion well, but the other slaves isolated him, because Hephaistion was different from them. Unlike the other slaves, his skin was like white marble instead of brown mahogany. His hair shone in auburn tassels reflecting the sun instead of coal black, and his eyes were as blue as the Aegean Sea instead of brown like coffee beans.

The other slaves were also jealous, because Hephaistion was the most beautiful. One night, looking up at the half moon just like the one in the sky when he was kidnapped, Hephaistion felt so lonely and homesick. He missed his family and friends in Athens. To ease the pain, he danced a war dance his father once taught him.

His long lithe limbs gracefully floated in the subtle moonlight. It took a breath away from the old master when he accidentally witnessed this private ritual. Aristotle felt as if he was seeing a dance performed by a god who had descended from Mount Olympus. He was so moved that he gifted Hephaistion a pair of slippers made of rose gold.

This did not help Hephaistion's situation among the other slaves at all. Their jealousy escalated, especially for Cassander and Roxane who were the worst since they had been the most beautiful and the master's favorites until Hephaistion came. Hephaistion became more and more alone.

Cassander and Roxane's laughter brought Hephaistion back from the dreamy thoughts. There was enough driftwood gathered by now. All he had to do was to carry them to a small boat to take them back. Running away in the boat crossed Hephaistion's mind for a moment, but he dismissed the idea of his temptation. It was impossible for him to reach safety without any food or water in this tiny boat except by going back to Aristotle's place.

He carried an armful of driftwood to the boat. When he came close to the bank, he slipped and fell into the water. The cool water was welcome to his heated body, but his rose gilded slippers were all wet. He took them off and put them on the grass so that they would dry by the time he finished the job.

When Hephaistion was almost done, an eagle flew down from the sky, and snatched one of his slippers. Hephaistion yelled, but it was too late. When Cassander and Roxane saw a flash of a glitter in the sky and realized what had happened, they laughed in delight, which made Hephaistion's heart sink even more. Hephaistion picked up one slipper left on the grass in silence, and put it in his chiton fighting back a tear from falling.

Meanwhile, the eagle flew all the way down to Memphis with Hephaistion's slipper in his beak. He circled over Pharaoh who was sitting on a chair brought out on the grass while he was testing the final plan to organize the upcoming festival. He had to make sure that everything was in place since he would invite all his people from all over the cities, and he would chose his companion by the closing of the festival.

After circling several times over the Pharaoh who was in deep thoughts, the eagle flew straight down at him and dropped a slipper on his lap. The Pharaoh was amazed with this sudden gift from the sky. The slipper looked so delicate with such a narrow base that he could not help but wonder about the owner of it.

By the time he lifted his gaze from the slipper, the Pharaoh was convinced. Whomever this beautiful slipper belonged to should be the one who became his companion. He caressed the outline of the slipper lovingly. He could almost see the person who used to wear the slipper in his inner eyes.

The day of the festival came, and everybody left for Memphis except Hephaistion. Evil Cassander and Roxane made sure that Hephaistion had plenty work to do before leaving for Memphis. Hephaistion heard about this handsome Pharaoh with golden hair like the sun, and wished to see him just once, but he had to give it up. There was simply too much work to finish.

Everybody was excited when they heard that Pharaoh was looking for the owner of a slipper, and whoever could fit to the slipper would become the Pharaoh's companion. The city square of Memphis was packed with the eager people. They tried the slipper one by one, but nobody could fit into it.

Cassander tried, but his foot was too wide. He tried to push it through the strap, but it did not even pass his toes. Roxane stepped out with confidence in her face. She was so sure that her small feet would pass through the narrow passage. She slid her foot into the slipper, and it went through. Everybody gasped in astonishment, and her lips curled up with a smile of triumph.

At that moment, the Pharaoh stood up from his seat, and approached her. She looked at him with passion. She was so sure that the Pharaoh would take her in his arms and kiss her ardently. When the Pharaoh stood right by her, she closed her eyes in anticipation.

Instead of taking her in his arms and kissing her, the Pharaoh lifted her dress up to her ankle revealing a big gap between her heel and the edge of the slipper. Her smile faded as fast as it appeared. Disappointed at not being able to find the owner of the slipper, the Pharaoh organized a search party; he was determined to find the owner whatever it took.

Several months had passed, and the Pharaoh had not found the owner of the slipper yet. He started to worry if the person actually existed in this world. It could belong to a god who might live high up in Mount Olympus. Naucratis was the last city of Pharaoh's visit.

When the Pharaoh's search party arrived at Aristotle's house, the old master gathered all his servants and slaves in the courtyard. However, Cassander and Roxane made sure again that Hephaistion would not have time to leave his duty. Everybody tried, but nobody could fit into it as before. It was obvious to all that the Pharaoh was in deep disappointment and frustration. A heavy silence fell over the courtyard.

"Hephaistion has not tried yet!" Perdiccas yelled.

"Who is Hephaistion?" Everybody whispered in puzzlement.

"Rhodopis, we call him Rhodopis, the rose colored cheeks."

"Ah, him, yes, we have not seen him." Everybody agreed.

"That is right, now I remember. This is the slipper I gifted him for his exquisite dancing. Where is Hephaistion anyway?" The old master asked Cassander and Roxane, but before they could answer, Perdiccas interjected.

"I know where he is, I'll get him!"

A moment later, Perdiccas returned with a sweaty Hephaistion, and they understood that he had been working hard all this time. Cassander and Roxane deeply dipped their heads down when they met with a sharp accusing gaze of their master Aristotle.

The Pharaoh forgot to breathe when he saw Hephaistion. He had never seen such a beautiful creature. His cheeks were flushed from hard labor, and a sheer sweat covered his smooth skin making it glow golden in the sun. His calm yet passionate orbs were as clear and blue as the summer sky. The Pharaoh had to use all his will power not to kiss the tip of the slightly curled up cute nose that belonged to this stranger. The strong jaw line and the firmly set lips showed determination and strong will.

Finally remembering what still had to be done, the Pharaoh motioned Hephaistion to step closer, and try the slipper. Hephaistion slid his elegant foot into the slipper. It fit him perfectly. He then took the matching pair stored away in his clothes, and put it onto his other foot. Now nobody could argue that Hephaistion was not the owner of the slipper.

The Pharaoh smiled and looked into the most beautiful eyes and asked.

"Would you become my companion please?"

Hephaistion looked into the Pharaoh's brilliant eyes full of passion and love, and he instantly felt warm happiness fill his heart. At that moment, he knew that the Pharaoh would be the right person for him to share his life.

"With my pleasure, my Pharaoh."

"Call me Alexander. I am just Alexander to you, my Hephaistion."

With this, Alexander took Hephaistion in his arms and kissed him gently then ardently. Everybody cheered, but two new lovers did not hear a thing. They were completely lost in their own world.

After Hephaistion had left for the palace of Memphis, Cassander and Roxane had to work ten times harder than before, yet they could not finish even a half of what Hephaistion used to do. The worst of all, the master never trusted them again, and the other slaves and servants finally recognized their slyness so that their lives in Naucratis became very miserable.

On the other hand, Hephaistion's life had changed to the best. Alexander and Hephaistion got married next month with the most luxurious wedding ceremony blessed with all the people of the lands and the Olympian gods and goddesses. Hephaistion was given many more slippers, but the rose gilded slippers, which had brought him true love, would be still his most favorites for the rest of his life.

The End

* * *

Note)

*1: Ancient Egyptian Harvest Season (March - May)  
*2: Ancient Egyptian Season (June - September)


	8. Goldilocks and the Three Bears

**Chapter 8**

**Goldilocks and the Three Bears**

**Cast: **

**Goldilocks: **Cassander  
**Bear 1: **Alexander  
**Bear 2: **Hephaistion  
**Bear 3: **Cleitus

**A/N:** This is an adaption of an old English nursery tale. I used the original version of the story where Goldilocks was an ugly, naughty old woman instead of an innocent, charming young girl.

Cassander was a mean selfish and spoiled boy whose father was an important officer of the Macedonian army. Because of his father's prestigious status, he did get out of a lot of trouble with no apparent punishment, and it did not help him at all. He hated everything, nothing was good enough for him, and everything was anybody else's fault except his. He had everything, but nothing satisfied him. Well, he had almost everything, except a true friend.

One day his tutor, Aristotle brought a stranger into the class. His name was Hephaistion from Athens. As soon as Cassander saw this new comer, he decided to be his best friend . The boy had everything he craved for; beauty, grace, wisdom, strength, wit, and the most importantly a caring gentle heart.

To everybody's surprise, Cassander tried his best to be nice to Hephaistion, and Hephaistion appreciated his warm welcome. Other boys also wanted to be friends with Hephaistion, but Cassander did not let anybody come close to them. Hephaistion felt rather strange that the other boys never came to talk to him despite looking so eager, but he thought to+ himself that those boys were just shy because they were not used to meeting with strangers.

Cassander's plan seemed to work and he was spending more and more time with Hephaistion, and Hephaistion looked comfortable being with Cassander. Cassander finally felt that he had something important, something he could really appreciate. Unfortunately, Cassander's happiness did not last so long. One day when Alexander came back from his visit to the palace, and met with Hephaistion, Cassander saw an instant connection between Alexander and Hephaistion. He felt a flame of jealousy flare up and it burned him inside.

He had always hated Alexander, but now, he hated him even more. Alexander had everything. He was the only one whom Cassander could not control, and he was the only person who was superior to him besides his father. Alexander was after all the first Prince of Macedonia. Cassander knew that there was no chance for him to win against Alexander, yet, he was not ready to give up. He thought that he might win Hephaistion's heart if he gave an expensive present to him.

Hence, he went to the best blacksmith in Pella, and had him make a beautiful silver pendant framed with a band of gold with a relief of a sculptured horse. It was exquisite.

"Hephaistion!"

Cassander called him all excited. To his luck, Hephaistion was walking toward the training field all by himself. Cassander impatiently pulled him under the olive tree as soon as Hephaistion came closer.

"What is it Cassander? We will be late for the gym class if we do not hurry."

"It will take just a few moments. I would like to show you something."

Cassander pulled a tightly folded red silk cloth from his chiton. He opened it on his palm with trembling fingers.

"Wow, Cassander, it is beautiful! I have never seen such a delicate relief on a pendant. And the horse, it looks so real. Look at each strand of the mane. "

"It is yours if you would like to be my best friend again."

Hephaistion looked troubled for a moment.

"Thank you, Cassander, but I cannot accept it."

Cassander's face grew red with anger.

"Why? Because of Alexander? You think he can give you something better, since he is a prince?"

"No, Cassander, I do not expect any expensive presents for an exchange of friendship."

"Oh, you don't have to lie, I know how things work!"

"No, Cassander, you do not understand."

"Yes, I do understand. You are the same as others. You just want power! That's why you'd rather be the best friend of the prince! I understand perfectly!"

With this, Cassander dashed away leaving saddened Hephaistion behind.

Since that day, Cassander's attitude to Hephaistion had changed dramatically. He was not nice to Hephaistion any longer. He picked on Hephaistion with every single occasion he could find to make his life miserable, and he tried very hard to spoil the fun Alexander and Hephaistion had together.

Cassander's disturbance became worse as he found that nothing actually bothered Alexander and Hephaistion when they were together. His tricks became meaner and meaner, and one day, it escalated and crossed the line of an innocent joke. He dug a deep hole and made a trap in the path of Alexander and Hephaistion's hunting territory in the woods with only one purpose in his mind, to harm Alexander badly.

Having no idea of Cassander's wicked plan, Alexander and Hephaistion went into the forest at the back of the school with Cleitus as a guard, in hope of hunting a deer for the upcoming fall festival of Oschophoria. The floor of the forest was covered with the tapestries of rich colored fallen leaves; they made crisp sounds under Alexander and Hephaistion's shuffling feet. They cautiously moved in anticipation, and Cleitus closely followed them behind.

A magnificent deer appeared in their sight. Alexander and Hephaistion signaled each other in silence, and pulled their spears back over their shoulders to have a steady aim at the animal. With totally synchronized movement, they threw the spears at the deer. One went through the neck and the other lodged deep into the heart, it was a perfect clean kill.

Alexander and Hephaistion ran to the prey excited. All of a sudden, Hephaistion disappeared from Alexander's side with a surprised sharp yelp, making Alexander freeze to the spot. When he looked around, he found Hephaistion fallen in a deep hole. The hole was so deep that it actually came up to Hephaistion's thighs.

"Are you all right?" Giving him a hand, Alexander asked worriedly.

"Yes, I think so ….. Ou ….." Hephaistion screamed in agony when he shifted his weight on his left foot.

Cleitus came running and scooped Hephaistion out of the hole and gently put him on the ground.

"It's a nasty hole, and I don't think it was there naturally. An idiot dug it out with a clear purpose of hurting somebody in his mind! Humm … look what I found. It must have fallen into the hole when the idiot was digging it."

Cleitus fished out a silver pendant with a relief of a horse.

"Cassander…" Hephaistion whispered in disbelief.

"Have you seen that before with Cassander?" Alexander asked angrily.

"Yes, Cassander tried to give it to me the other day, but I told him that it was too much…. I cannot believe that Cassander did such a thing though…"

"Well, he did, and I think Cassander should pay for this." Alexander stated with determination.

The bone was not broken at Hephaistion's ankle, but it was twisted and sprained badly when he fell. The doctor ordered him to stay in bed and not to walk until the swelling would go away completely. It was in the midst of the hunting season, and Alexander was forced to take another boy as his companion.

Alexander wanted to take Cassander with him so that he could get revenge, but Cassander found an excuse each time to stay behind with Hephaistion. Alexander was frustrated, but he could not force Cassander, since he wanted it to be a surprise, and he did not wish for Cassander to find out what they already knew.

"I know what we can do." One evening after the hunting, excited Cleitus came to Alexander and told him of his plan.

"Oh, that is a great idea, Cleitus. That would teach Cassander a hard lesson. We can start working on it now, and as soon as Hephaistion is well enough to walk again, we can proceed with the plan." Alexander smiled as widely as Cleitus in satisfaction.

Thanks to Alexander's comfrey salve, Hephaistion still limped a little when he walked, but his ankle had healed very nicely. Alexander explained to Hephaistion about Cleitus' brilliant plan. Hephaistion chuckled, and agreed that it was indeed a fantastic strategy. They left for the woods hand in hand making sure that Cassander's jealous eyes were watching them.

Cassander followed them to the woods keeping a safe distance from them. When Alexander and Hephaistion came deep into the woods, they slipped themselves into a hiding place where Cleitus had prepared. Thick bushes covered by evergreen branches made a perfect shelter for them. Cassander did not see them, but they could watch every single movement that Cassander made.

Losing sight of Alexander and Hephaistion, Cassander stopped and looked around. The forest was in complete silence, and he could not see even a trace of Alexander and Hephaistion. They seemed to have disappeared into thin air, as if gods had swept them away. Finally, his gaze was drawn to a small cave ahead of him. It was not an ordinary cave. There was a heavy wooden door protecting the entrance.

Cassander walked to the door, and opened it without knocking. Inside of the cave was filled with bright lights and delightful fragrance being lit by rose oil lamps.

'_It is a perfect place to bring Hephaistion.' _Cassander grinned with his amazing discovery.

There were a table and three chairs, and three bowls of sweet smelling porage were set on the table. All of a sudden Cassander felt hungry with the inviting aroma, and sat down on a chair.

'_Uh, I don't like this chair, it's too high._' So he moved onto the next chair. _'This one is too short, it hurts my back..' 'Ah…this is just right'. _Cassander settled in the third chair, and took a spoonful of porage in front of him.

'_Ouch! This is too hot! Stupid porage, I burnt my lips.'_ Angrily, he threw the bowl against the wall, and picked up the next bowl. '_Puff…this is too cold and hard. I cannot eat such rubbish.' _With this, he threw the bowl again, and reeled in the last one. _'Finally, now this is the porage.' _

After eating a whole bowlful of delicious porage, Cassander felt his eyelids become heavy. He yawned, and stood up to go to the other side of the cave. Three beds were arranged in a row. He tried the closest to the wall first.

'_This bed is too hard. I don't like it.'_ So, he moved to the next bed. _'Oh, this one is too soft. I will sink into it.' 'Ah… this one is just right, and the pillow smells so good, too.' _

Cassander stretched in the bed, and buried his face into the pillow. At the next instance, he was already dreaming a sweet dream of Hephaistion.

A violent shake of the bed broke Cassander's delightful dream. '_What a heck?' _He jumped to sit up on the bed, rubbing his still half asleep eyes. He was angry with whoever broke his peaceful sleep, but his anger turned into fear as soon as he was wide-awake, and saw what made his bed shake. Three black bears were standing at the foot of his bed. At the next moment, an unbelievable thing had happened. The biggest bear roared and spoke a human language.

"You are very naughty boy! First, you entered our cave without permission. Second, you made a mess throwing porage all over the place; third, you ate a bowl of porage, again, without asking. And finally, you slept in one of our beds as if you could take anything you want from anybody! If I ever see or hear of you taking other people's stuff, or harming anybody for your selfishness, consider your head would be bitten off. And remember boy, we have all kinds of friends whose ears and eyes are always open around you."

The bear finished with a loud roar. Cassander jumped off the bed and dashed to the door like an arrow being released from a bow. As soon as Cassander was out the door, three bears laughed uncontrollably. They laughed so hard that they had to double over. Three bear heads rolled off on the floor, and three flushed faces emerged. Alexander, Hephaistion and Cleitus were having a hard time to catch a breath.

From that day on, Cassander had changed and became very nice. He did not take anything before asking, and he shared everything with others. Once again, he became a good friend of Hephaistion. When they grew up, Cassander helped Alexander conquer the world along with Hephaistion. He was one of the bravest warriors in Alexander's army. Yet, Alexander and Hephaistion exchanged a meaningful smile whenever they caught Cassander nervously looked around spotting a wild animal from the forest.

End


	9. The Frog Prince

**Chapter 9**

**The Frog Prince**

**Disclaimer: **The basic plot belongs to an old German folk tale. It was modified to better suit to the world of Alexander and Hephaistion.

**Cast:**

**Princess (Prince):** Alexander  
**The Frog Prince:** Hephaistion  
**Alexander's father:** King Philip  
**Alexander's mother:** Queen Olympias  
**Hephaistion's stepmother:** Roxane

Once upon a time, there lived a prince named Alexander in the kingdom of Macedon. He was bright and handsome, but he was a lonely prince. His mother, queen Olympias loved Alexander so profoundly, but she was extremely jealous, and did not allow anybody to become too close to her son. She wanted to be the only one whom Alexander did trust and love.

On the other hand, Alexander's father, king Philip did not have much time to spend with him. He was either too busy conquering new lands or lusting after his prey in bed. To make matters worse, Alexander's parents did not get along with each other. They used to argue a lot and tried to make Alexander take sides. Alexander hated it so much when that happened. But at least these days, they just ignored each other.

The only friend Alexander had was a copy of the Iliad that his teacher Aristotle once gifted him on his birthday. He carried it everywhere he went, and read his favorite passages over and over again despite that he had memorized them all by now. His most favorite part was the friendship and love between Achilles and Patroclus. He longed for meeting with his own Patroclus.

One day, Alexander walked through the royal garden until he came to the edge of it; he sat down under the shady oak tree over looking a small lake. The sun was playing on the surface of the water making it sparkle in gold and silver. Gentle breezes rustled the leaves over his head making them whisper softly at him. This was his favorite place. He could forget his loneliness and all those ugly things in real life.

When Alexander took his Iliad from his chiton, and opened it, a strong gust ran over the lake, and snatched a copy away from his grip.

"Oh, No!"

He quickly stood up and ran after the copy, but it fell into the old abandoned well.

"Now, how am I going to get it back?" Alexander was panicked. It was unbearable to think of losing his only company.

At that moment, he heard a voice echoing from the bottom of the well.

"Pull this up, I'll bring it back to you." With this, a rope that was tied on the crossbar over the well shook from side to side.

Alexander felt strange at hearing a voice from the bottom of the old well, but his mind was only on getting his precious Iliad back. He followed the order of the voice, and pulled up the rope. When he saw a little green frog carrying a copy of his Iliad in his mouth perched on the rim of the bucket at the end of the rope, Alexander jumped back and let go of the rope in shock. To his luck, the frog jumped off the bucket onto the ground with the Iliad still in his mouth before the bucket fell back deep into the well.

Alexander was a brave young man. He trained very hard to be like his hero Achilles, and he was not afraid of anything. Well, just about anything. The only thing he had trouble with was reptiles. Whenever he saw them, he could not help a shiver run through his spine with disgust. How he wished that his mother were never so fond of snakes.

Alexander stood there on the spot terrified yet anxious to get his Iliad back. The papyrus was securely settled in between the beaks of the frog. There seemed no other way but go closer and snatch it away from the disgusting creature. When Alexander finally gathered all his courage and cautiously looked down at the frog, he noticed another unusual thing about the creature besides that he could talk.

The frog had the most beautiful blue eyes that Alexander had never seen even among humans. They had an almost hypnotic calming effect on Alexander. They took fear and alarm away from Alexander's mind; they made him feel safe instead. Alexander stepped forward, and gently slid the papyrus away from the frog's mouth. He still did not want to touch the reptile, but he was not afraid of this particular one any more.

"Thank you for saving my Iliad. It is not my imagination, and you can really talk, can't you?"

"Yes, I can talk. You are not dreaming." A melodic voice answered back to him.

"Where and how did you learn to talk?"

"Just like you, from listening to the teacher very attentively."

A brilliant idea came to Alexander's mind.

"Oh, I have a great idea. Why don't you … , what is your name anyway? Do you frogs have names, too?"

"Of course we do. My name is Hephaistion."

"Heph…what?"

"Hephaistion!"

"All right, Hephaistion. Since you did save my Iliad, I would like to do something to thank you. Why don't you come to the class of Aristotle? You can learn lots more than just talking. Besides, I am very curious to know what kind of theory master Aristotle would come up with about a talking frog."

"I have to disappoint you on that. You would never find out, because you are the only one who can hear me talk."

"What? Are you saying that I am not dreaming, but nobody else can hear you talk?"

Hephaistion the frog raised his upper arms. If a frog could shrug his shoulders, then what he did was the best gesture of it. Alexander was a bit disappointed, but he also felt special knowing that he was the only one who could understand the frog.

"Humm, I really want to thank you though. Would you like me to catch flies for you or something?"

"No, I am fine. Well … there is one thing you can do for me. Where do you live?"

"I live in the palace over there."

"Can you please take me to the palace? It gets freezing out here at night. I cannot keep warm even if I buried myself under the fallen leaves."

"Sure, but once we get to the palace, you should never leave my room." Alexander paused for a moment. "My mother keeps snakes as pets, and you never know when any of them might get loose."

They both shivered; Alexander from the feeling of disgust, and Hephaistion from the fear of his life.

Once they arrived at the palace, Alexander took the frog straight to his room. He set one of the cushions and a soft cloth on the small table by his bed to be used as bedding for the frog.

"Here you are. This will do. You can sleep warm here with me."

Hephaistion jumped up on the cushion and tested it.

"Ah… this is much better than leaves and grass. Thank you … what should I call you?"

"I am prince Alexander, but you can call me Alexander."

"Pleased to meet you, Alexander."

"Same here, Hephaistion."

That night, Alexander read his Iliad aloud to Hephaistion until Hephaistion's beautiful blue eyes finally closed. It was such a satisfying feeling to have somebody to share his joy, even if it was just a talking frog.

To Alexander's surprise, Hephaistion preferred honey to a fly. At each meal, Alexander brought a pot of honey from the kitchen, and poured a small amount on the plate for Hephaistion. He never got tired of watching Hephaistion deliciously lick it up to the last drop.

Alexander was overjoyed when he discovered that Hephaistion not only could speak, but also could read. For the next few days, Alexander stayed in his room with Hephaistion except for going out to the dining hall. They read the whole Iliad to each other taking turns, and discussing the life of heroes.

This unusual act of Alexander did not escape Olympias' attention. On the fourth evening, Alexander's mother visited him unannounced with her pet snakes slithering behind. As soon as she entered Alexander's room, her eyes were fixed onto Hephaistion who was perched on the desk looking at the copy of Iliad with Alexander.

Olympias' face was distorted with disgust, and she furiously charged to Hephaistion before Alexander had a chance to stop her.

"You disgusting filthy creature! You are worthy only as food to my lovely pets!"

With this, the queen picked up Hephaistion, and threw him at the wall by the door. Poor Hephaistion hit the wall hard with a splat, and slid down onto the floor. As soon as Hephaistion hit on the floor, the queen's pet snakes quickly crept toward their prey.

"No!"

Alexander rushed to Hephaistion forgetting about the fear he had for the snakes. The snakes sensed the danger, and slithered away quickly to hide behind the queen. He picked up the unmoving Hephaistion in his hands.

"Please Hephaistion, wake up!"

Alexander gently stroked the trunk of the frog, but it seemed that Hephaistion was not even breathing.

"Please don't die …" Tears streamed down Alexander's cheeks. He put his lips onto the frog's mouth trying to push some air into his lungs.

"Quit that Alexander! That's disgusting!"

Queen Olympias stepped forward to take the frog out of Alexander's hands.

At that moment, an incredible thing had happened. Alexander felt a cold clammy surface turn into soft warm skin under his lips, and saw himself holding a beautiful young man of his own age instead of a frog. After the initial shock had passed, Alexander recomposed himself, and gathered the other man in his arms. A drop of tear fell onto Hephaistion's cheek. His long brown lashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. It was so wonderful to see those enchanting calming blue orbs again.

"Oh, Hephaistion. You are alive, and you are a human!"

Hephaistion smiled at Alexander looking straight into his eyes. Alexander was so happy that he could not help covering all over Hephaistion's face with a shower of kisses before letting him sit up. Hephaistion chuckled delightfully.

"Thank you Alexander, your sincere friendship broke the spell for me."

They hugged each other tightly. Alexander felt he had come home; he felt that he finally found his Patroclus.

Later, Hephaistion told Alexander that he was a prince from the richest city of Greece, Corinth, but his witch stepmother Roxane had turned him into a frog when his father passed away. Hephaistion fled the city by sneaking into a merchant ship, and since then, he had been travelling all over Greece looking for a prince who could break the spell by proving the true friendship to him.

King Philip was very angry when he heard what a nasty witch had done to a prince of Corinth. He offered Hephaistion help to take revenge on his stepmother, and Hephaistion gladly accepted the proposal. Alexander and Hephaistion along with king Philip gathered the Macedonian army, and headed down to Corinth to reinstate Hephaistion's crown.

Black gloomy clouds hung over the once beautiful and cheerful port city. The dark palace stood like a shadow of Hades in the middle of it. Hephaistion clenched his teeth with resentment. Alexander comforted him by taking his hand and squeezing it.

They attacked the doomed city at dawn. The battle was a complete victory for the Macedonians, and the wicked witch fled to the east, deep into the Mountains of Sogdia. As soon as evil Roxane had left, the dark clouds broke away, and the bright sun came out. The cheerful energy returned to the city.

"Father, I would like to stay here with Hephaistion, and help him to rebuild the kingdom. I love him very much and I would not wish to be apart from him."

"I understand Alexander, but your mother would be disappointed, and will miss you greatly."

"I know … I promise that Hephaistion and I would visit you both once the kingdom is reorganized. Right, Hephaistion?"

Hephaistion just nodded with teary eyes. It was overwhelming that Alexander not only helped him to regain his land, but also decided to stay with him.

"All right, Alexander. I would try to soothe your mother."

Looking at the two devoted lovers, king Philip felt warmth spread in his heart. He thought that he might take this opportunity to rebuild his relationship with his queen. It sure sounded to be worth a try.

Hephaistion announced to his people that Alexander and he would promise them to restore this city and the kingdom to be as beautiful and as happy a place to live as before. The people of Corinth who had suffered from the difficult life under the hardship of Roxane cheered for their new kings.

Alexander and Hephaistion worked very hard day after day, but they always set aside some time just for the two of them in the evening, and enjoyed reading their favorite Iliad together. Yet their most desired time came after that. They explored each other's bodies, and made passionate loves savoring, and looking at their own longing reflections in each other's orbs.

When the moon rose high above the sky, and the stars adorned the midnight blue sphere, the tired yet satisfied lovers slept in peace still entwined to each other. The night in Corinth gently enveloped the two lovers, and cradled them into the dreamland.

End

* * *

Technically 'frogs' belong to the class of 'amphibian', but I grouped them together with 'reptile' to make it simple. I hope you don't mind.


	10. The Prince and the Pea

**Chapter 10**

**Title: The Prince and the Pea**

**Cast:**

**Prince: Alexander  
Princess (Prince): Hephaistion  
Other Princesses: Barsine, Roxane, Stateira  
Alexander's father: King Philip  
Alexander's mother: Queen Olympias**

A/N: This is an adaptation of a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The plot is modified and rewritten to better suit to Alexander's world.

A long, long time ago, there lived a prince named Alexander in the land called Pella. He was very handsome with golden hair that shone like the rays of the rising sun. He had everything that a prince wanted; a great kingdom that he would rule when he became a king, and a beautiful palace he lived in. Moreover, the King and the Queen loved him very much, although sometimes the Queen loved him a bit too much. Well, he had almost everything.

The only thing that was lacking in his life was a companion whom he could love and spend the rest of his life with. At his twenty-second birthday, the king and the queen had decided to send an announcement throughout the country, in which it said that they were looking for a companion of the first prince of Macedon.

"You have to chose from the royal blood." The King insisted.

"You are a prince, you should not marry an ordinary girl." The Queen reinforced.

"So, if the person is from the royal blood, and is not an ordinary girl, then I can choose anybody I want?" Alexander asked his parents.

"But of course, you are the one who is marrying. Just be cautious and choose somebody you would not regret."

King Philip advised him while looking at the queen bitterly.

"Do not confuse royal with barbarian."

Queen Olympias glared back at him.

The king and the queen had never agreed on anything, but at least this time when it came to Alexander's wedding, they seemed to be all right to put the same wordings in an announcement. The news were spread, and the princesses from all over the country came to meet with Alexander hoping to be chosen as the bride of the most handsome prince in the world.

The first lady whom Alexander met was Barsine, daughter of Artabazus. She did not have the glowing beauty of a young girl, but had a sophistication that only a grownup woman could achieve. He loved her gentleness and intelligence, but she did not make his heart race.

"Alexander, she is too old for you."

Queen Olympias' disagreement put the period to it. King Philip thought inwardly that he might ask her to be his mistress.

Next came a wild princess from Bactria named Roxane who fell in love with Alexander at first sight. She danced a seductive dance to win Alexander's heart. She was young, passionate, ambitious, and very beautiful. People in Bactria called her a little star for her adorableness.

She looked at Alexander with fiery coal black eyes; her gaze was so intense that Alexander felt as if she were trying to burn a hole on his face. Alexander could not help but shivering for feeling uneasy.

"No, Alexander, she is too possessive."

Queen Olympias spat out. The two women glared at each other as if they were sword fighting with invisible blades. Alexander was actually relieved that his mother did not approve of this princess. She was too frightening.

King Philip agreed with his wife this time, and made a mental note not to touch her even if he got too deep into his cups. He wanted to have fun, not trouble.

The third princess, Stateira, was from the noble bloodline of the Persian Empire. She seemed to have everything. She was royal, beautiful, and intelligent. She looked at Alexander shyly yet resolutely. She acted like a real princess. Alexander liked her very much, but again, his heart did not tighten up; something was still missing.

"She looks too weak." Queen Olympias cut in while walking around the princess. "She will not be able to defend herself."

King Philip sighed audibly. He felt that Alexander would never have a companion if his wife had to approve, because he knew that she would find a flaw no matter who the companion of Alexander would be. Nobody was good enough for Alexander but her.

There were no more princesses left in the world except the ones who were too young to marry. The king and the queen were very much concerned, but Alexander was not that worried. As a matter of fact, he was glad that his mother did not approve any of them; because he was certain that he would know instantly if he met with his companion. And he was sure that he had not encountered with this person yet; the person who would make his heart skip.

One whole year had passed, and the king and the queen started to lose hope. They wondered if they might have to lower their standard for their son to be able to marry.

It was a stormy night. A severe thunderstorm swept over the Macedonian night sky. Having thunderstorm was unusual for this late in the season, and unlike a storm in the summer time, the air was freezing with cold rain. It made the servants busy preparing the fire in the hearth for the first time that season.

Alexander gazed upon the lightning dance in the night sky. He loved to watch the storm; the flashing lightning, the roars of the thunder, the howling of strong wind, harsh pouring rain, they all made his blood boil and gave him courage as if father Zeus was giving him strength.

A commotion in the distance by the stable caught his attention. It looked like four or five Macedonian soldiers were struggling with a man. Alexander put a cloak on and stepped outside. As he came closer, he found the stranger was a young man of his own age. Silver blue flashes shone upon the other man's figure once in a while bringing visible out in the dark the perfect outline of his face. Alexander could not take his eyes off him.

"Prince Alexander, this man was sneaking into the stable to steal a horse." One of the soldiers explained.

"I am not a thief. I was just looking for shelter until the storm passes." The stranger protested irritably.

"We cannot discuss in this storm. Bring him to the palace."

"Take your hands off of me. I will not run away!"

Alexander lost himself for a moment when he saw a blue flash of anger flicker in the other man's eyes just like a lightning in the sky, as beautiful and as powerful. He nodded to his soldiers.

"It is all right. I will take him from here."

"But, prince."

"I said it is all right!" With this, Alexander turned around and headed back to the palace hoping that the other man would follow. He went straight to his room. Something inside of him urged that he needed to see this stranger alone. As he entered the room, he took off his wet cloak and hung it by the door.

Alexander gasped when he saw the stranger in the full light. His soft silky chestnut colored hair was all wet hanging over his shoulders. They perfectly blended with the fur he wore around his shoulders. His clear blue orbs were so expressive that they reflected every single emotion he was feeling inside. A corner of his perfectly shaped lips was split leaving a still fresh bloodstain at the hairline opening. Alexander could not help but imagine him licking the scar with the tip of his tongue. The two men stared at each other in silence for a long time.

Alexander then realized that the other man was shivering. A pool of water was forming where he stood. He was drenched to the bone.

"I am sorry, you must be freezing. I will have them add some more hot stones in the bath. Take these and change into new clothes."

Alexander handed him towels and a set of fresh clothes, before pointing him to the other room where the hot bath would be shortly ready.

"Thank you price."

"Call me Alexander. What is your name?"

"My name is Hephaistion." The stranger replied before disappearing to the other room.

"Hephaistion…. " Repeating the stranger's name, Alexander's heart skipped a beat.

After the bath, Hephaistion told Alexander the story sitting in front of the fire and sharing a cup of wine. He revealed that he was a prince of Thessaly. While he was hunting with his guards seven days ago, they were attacked by bandits. They fought fiercely, but the enemy outnumbered them, and all his guards were killed one by one. They finally captured Hephaistion as a hostage in hopes of getting some lump sum money, but he watched for a chance, and escaped when they lowered the guard for a split second.

"I was on the way back to my land, but was caught by a storm and looking for a shelter. I was not stealing your horse."

Hephaistion looked straight into Alexander's eyes. As if he were hypnotized, Alexander extended his hand and touched Hephaistion's scar at the corner of his lips without breaking the eye contact.

"I am sorry, did our soldiers do this?"

"It is not their fault. They thought they were protecting your horse."

Alexander felt as if he was drowning into Hephaistion's blue orbs. Next time when he noticed, Alexander was kissing those soft lips of Hephaistion wrapping one arm around the waist, and caressing the smooth cheek with another hand. Sweetness mingled with a salty copper taste that brought him on fire. His heart raced so fast that it was almost painful.

When they finally broke apart, Alexander looked at Hephaistion, and was relieved when he saw that Hephaistion was breathing as hard as Alexander with the same passionate gaze. They kissed again, this time more ardently and thoroughly. Alexander knew that he now had found his companion.

Next morning, Alexander visited his parents and broke the news that he had found his companion.

"Who is it? There is no princess left whom we do not know." The king was truly surprised.

"When did it happen? You never left the palace, and we did not have any visitors." The queen was suspicious.

"I will bring him now. He is waiting outside."

"Him!" Both the king and the queen yelled in unison.

Alexander opened the heavy door, and brought the stranger into the room taking his hand into his own. King Philip and Queen Olympias' eyes grew big seeing the beauty in front of them. The young man was impeccable.

"He is Hephaistion; the prince of Thessaly. He is royal, young at my age, and he is strong. He fought with bandits and also defended himself against our soldiers last night."

"But he is a man." Queen Olympias protested.

"Mother, the condition was that the person had to be royal. And he is, being a prince of Thessaly. You also told me that the person could not be an ordinary girl. He sure is not an ordinary girl, is he?"

Queen Olympias bit her lip in defeat. It was true that there was no agreement about the gender of the companion; she just assumed that it would be a girl, the same gender as her. She was certain that she could compete with a woman, but was not so sure about the man.

"Very well then, let us test if he truly is a royal man." She recomposed herself. She smiled coldly with a brilliant plan in her mind.

"Hephaistion, you will sleep on the bed I prepare for you tonight, and let us know tomorrow morning how you have slept."

"Is that all, mother?" Alexander was puzzled.

"Yes, that is all. Good luck."

That night, Queen Olympias showed Hephaistion the bed he would be sleeping in. It was so ridiculous that Hephaistion almost burst into laughter. Layer after layer of mattresses and feather beds piled up one after another, twenty each of them all together. Yet, Queen Olympias was serious.

"I even cannot climb up on the bed."

"No problem. I will have the two strongest guards to lift you up."

"But if I needed to take care of the business during the night?"

"The guards would stay up all night by your sides, so you can just ask them."

Alexander was nervous. He did not like the look he saw on his mother's face. She must have a wicked plan hidden up her sleeve, or she would not be this calm. Yet at this moment, Alexander could not do anything, but hoped that all would be well. He kissed Hephaistion good night before the guards lifted him up on the bed.

The bed was so soft that Hephaistion felt that he would sink into the mattresses. He was a prince, but he was also raised to be a warrior. He was not used to being pampered like this. He tossed and turned all night having a nightmare of being swallowed into the bottom of the bed. It was not until almost the dawn when he finally fell into a restless sleep.

Early next morning, Queen Olympias gathered King Philip and Alexander to visit Hephaistion. As soon as Alexander saw Hephaistion, his heart sunk. It was obvious to any-body's eyes that Hephaistion had not rested well. Although it added a decadent beauty on Hephaistion's face, he was very pale, and even had dark circles under his eyes.

"You do not seem to have slept very well." The queen stated.

"No, I could not sleep most of the night." Hephaistion dipped his head.

"Is that true? Nobody had disturbed him, had he?" King Philip asked the guards while looking at Alexander compassionately.

"No, my king, nobody came here. He was tossing and turning all night, and moaned as if something was hurting him.

Alexander heard his mother sigh deeply. He closed his eyes waiting for his mother to say the verdict. He was so sure that she would tell that Hephaistion was not of royal blood, since if he were a real prince, he should not have had any problems sleeping on such a luxurious bed. So, Alexander was very surprised when he heard his mother's next words.

"Well, I have to admit that he is a real prince. Only a real prince could feel the discomfort of this little pea buried at the bottom of the mattress."

With this, the queen ordered for the guards to peel off the mattresses and the feather beds one by one. When they took the last feather bed, there they found a tiny green pea sitting in the middle of the mattress at the very bottom of the bed.

It was all queen Olympias' misunderstanding, but consequently, Alexander and Hephaistion were married, and lived a happy long life together enjoying each other's company every single moment. The pea was placed in a little container, and never left their bedside.

End


	11. Beauty and the Beast

**Chapter 11**

**Prompt: Going Home  
**

**Title: Beauty and the Beast**

**A/N: **The basic plot belongs to a French fairy tale, **"_La Belle et la Bête_"**.

**Cast:**

**Beauty: Hephaistion  
The Beast: Alexander  
Merchant (Beauty's Father): Parmenion  
Elder brother: Philotas  
Younger brother: Cassander  
Witch Circe: Roxane**

Once upon a time there lived a merchant named Parmenion in the port city of Corinth. One year when the weather was favorable, and the crops of grapes were abundant, Parmenion purchased quality wine at a very reasonable price, and traded it for flour from Egypt making a fortune out of it.

He had been always one step ahead of trend, and now he had moved to trading marbles from Athens for spices from Turkey that had given him higher profits. The goddess of fortune had been kind to him as well, and he increased the number of his trading ships as his wealth grew. Today, he was the richest man in Corinth.

His wife had passed away shortly after giving birth to the youngest son, but he never took a second wife. One of the reasons why was that he had loved his wife very much, but mostly, he was comfortable leading a carefree life. Nobody complained if he had a party just about every night. He worked hard, but he was also generous to others and he knew how to have fun.

He also had three very handsome sons who lived with him in the house that was almost as magnificent as a palace. The eldest son's name was Philotas, a typical spoiled first-born child who thought he was on top of the world and intervened with everything. He was also greedy for power, and was planning to take over his father's business all to himself.

The youngest son's name was Cassander; another spoiled typical last-born child. He was arrogant, and complained about just about everything; nothing was ever good enough for him. He was also extremely jealous, and wanted to have all the attention only to himself.

And then, there was Hephaistion, who was younger than Philotas, but older than Cassander. He was the fairest and the handsomest of all. He was also gentle, caring, the bravest and the smartest of all. Philotas might be the one who wanted to run the business, but Hephaistion was the one who balanced the books, and kept the business intact.

Both of his brothers took advantage of Hephaistion's kindness, and expected him to help them with just about anything; from taking over their chores to getting them out of trouble. Even his father counted on him. Hephaistion gladly helped them all.

"Hephaistion, what should I take to the birthday party for Cleopatra?"

"I know she loves jewelries, especially gold. I think a necklace from Egypt would be the best choice, Philotas."

"Hephaistion, help me with an assignment to write a poem. I have no idea what to write about."

"Why don't you write about how you hate getting up every morning? It would be unique." Hephaistion chuckled teasingly.

"Hephaistion! I am serious!"

"All right, all right, Cassander. Let's see…"

Everyday passed like this. Although Hephaistion enjoyed his life with his father and brothers, he could not help feeling that something was missing from his life although he did not know what it was yet.

A catastrophic disaster hit the family one early autumn. A violent storm suddenly formed, and hit the area destroying everything in its path. Fortunately, the storm did not land on the city of Corinth, but the angry sea swallowed all the ships of Parmenion, which were loaded full of merchandise.

Parmenion stood at the beach among the wreckage of broken ships totally lost, and felt scared. All his fortune had vanished like the foams of the waves. He had no idea how to make an everyday living. He wished that he had not wasted his fortune and saved some, but it was too late to regret.

"Father! What are we going to do?"

As soon as Parmenion came home, Philotas confronted him.

"I do not know, son."

"Oh, great! Now we cannot even have my birthday party next month."

"Cassander, it is not father's fault that he lost the ships." Hephaistion softly cautioned Cassander, and continued. "Father, I set aside some money for just in case. If we sold this house and moved to a smaller one, then I think we can make a living."

"How much did you save?" Philotas interrogated.

"Not that much, so we have to be careful not to spend too much."

"Why didn't you save more?"

"Yes! You should have done a better job."

"Philotas and Cassander! If it were not for Hephaistion, we would have to live on the street like beggars!" Parmenion finally raised his voice before turning around to face Hephaistion.

"Thank you Hephaistion, you saved us. Now, let us get busy and ready."

Parmenion did not want to leave the house he had lived in for the last twenty-five years, but he was also grateful that he and his sons could at least afford a small house in the woods. They sold all the furniture, let the servants go, kept just one horse, and moved into a simple house in the quiet woods just at the outskirt of the city at the foot of the mountains.

Their life style had changed to a more humble and self-sufficient one, but Hephaistion was content. He cultivated the sunny spot in the back yard of their house, and made a small vegetable garden. The only thing he missed from the old house was the beach behind their house. He used to take a walk there at the dawn to sort things out, or just enjoyed the quiet time. The sounds of the waves crashing onto the beach were the most soothing to him.

Now the mountains took its place in his heart. Instead of walking along the beach, he sat on the ledge looking over the vast ocean and the ever-spreading horizon in front of him. He wondered what kind of worlds were out there, and if he would find his 'something missing' in one of them.

On the other hand, Philotas and Cassander complained about everything, and Hephaistion tried his best to let them see the brighter side.

"Hephaistion, there is hardly any meat in this stew. I'm tired of having only fish and vegetables all the time."

"But, Philotas, it is much healthier and better for you."

"Hephaistion, I don't have anything fancy to wear anymore."

"Well, now you don't have to change back to plain clothes when you do the laundry, so it is one less thing for you to wash. Isn't that all the better?" Hephaistion reminded Cassander of his chore making Parmenion grin and Cassander to pout.

After a month from the unfortunate incident, Parmenion came back from the city very excited. He gathered his sons and explained what he had heard.

"They might have found one of our ships at the port of Thessaloniki. They said that the ship was damaged but not so severely, it must have wandered into the Aegean Sea during the storm, and survived the blow. Help me to pack. I will leave for Thessaloniki first thing in the morning."

"Oh, that is great, father! We will be rich again. Can you bring back a gold armlet for me?"

"Sure, Philotas. I will bring you back not only one, but two."

"And nice clothes for me?"

"A trunkful of them, Cassander. Now Hephaistion, what do you want?"

"If you ever could find a copy of the Iliad, I would love to have it."

"Is that all Hephaistion?"

"Yes, father. That is all." '_Except for "the something missing" which I do not know what_ _it is.'_ Hephaistion added inwardly.

Parmenion left the house full of hope. The ride was long and tiresome, but he did not mind. However, when he arrived in Thessaloniki and saw the ship, his hope was crashed to pieces. The ship was not his merchant ship, but was a fishing boat. His heart sulked with disappointment and despair.

He was so distressed on the way back to Corinth that he did not pay attention where he was going and soon he found himself lost in the woods. He was exhausted and hungry; every part of his body ached on horseback, and what was worse, the sun was almost setting. So he was very pleased when he saw a beautiful mansion with a magnificent garden in front of him.

'_Maybe I could ask for some food and a shelter for the night.'_

He got off the horse, and came in front of the door. The heavy door opened by itself as if it knew that there was a visitor to let in. Parmenion was alarmed, but he could not resist slipping in, as a delicious smell hit his nostrils.

"Hello, is anybody home?"

There was no answer.

He followed the aroma, and he was guided to a dining room with a table full of hot meal, bread, exotic fruits, and sweet smelling wine and dessert. He sat there and indulged himself. Now his stomach was taken care of, all he needed was a comfortable bed to sleep in. He found an empty bed, and crawled into it.

The morning came, and Parmenion felt rested and refreshed, ready for a new day of the journey. As he walked toward the door, he passed a small study with shelves filled with scrolls and papers. He stepped into the room remembering the request from Hephaistion.

To his delight, there were seven copies of the Iliad. He thought maybe the owner of this place would not mind if he took just one. Whoever it was, he sounded like a generous person after all. Parmenion picked up an old copy that was fading into a sepia color and the most beaten up to put it in his chiton.

The roar that echoed in the empty mansion made Parmenion jump and shrink.

"Who dares to steal my copy of the Iliad?"

"F…Forgive me my lord. I am Parmenion of Corinth, a broken merchant. This is for one of my sons who asked for nothing but a copy of the Iliad when I came to claim my wrecked ship, which ended up as an useless effort."

"How many sons do you have, Parmenion the merchant?"

"I have three of them, my lord."

"Fine. I will make a deal with you. I would gift you not only the copy of the Iliad, but also chests full of gold, jewelries, and other precious things. All you need to do is to bring back one of your sons to me in seven days. But, if you ever fail, then I will hunt you till the end of the world and tear you down in pieces. Is it understood?"

"Y…Yes, my lord."

"Take my horse instead. He knows the way back here."

When Parmenion went outside trembling with fear, he was met with a magnificent black horse with two chests tied on its back. He climbed onto it, and started his gloomy journey back to his home where his three sons waited.

"Father! This is great! Now we have more fortune than we have ever had!"

Philotas screamed as soon as he saw the contents of the two chests.

"And you did not forget my fancy clothes!" Cassander was as happy.

"Thank you father, you did find a copy of the Iliad!" Hephaistion took the copy from Parmenion's hand as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

They bought back the house by the beach, and it seemed that their life went back to normal again. Except Parmenion was getting quieter and quieter as the days passed. It worried Hephaistion a lot.

On the sixth day after Parmenion came home, Hephaistion caught his father sobbing at the dining table late at night.

"What is wrong, father?"

"Nothing. I am just getting old."

Philotas and Cassander heard the noise and they too joined them in the dining room, but they kept silence not willing to take a part of the trouble their father might be in.

"I think it is more than that. You cannot lie to me father. Please share your concern with us."

With Hephaistion's kind words, Parmenion could not hold back his secret any more. He told his sons about the mysterious mansion in the woods, and the deal he made with the beast.

"I am not going. I have a responsibility here as the first born."

Philotas resisted right away.

"Father, I will go."

"No, Hephaistion. I cannot let you suffer for my ignorance and the mistake."

"But, father, you stole the Iliad for me. You would not have done it if I had not asked you. Besides, I always wanted to see the world. Tomorrow is the promised seventh day. Please take me there."

"Hephaistion is right. He is the one who should go. It was because of his stupid Iliad any way."

Cassander agreed in a heartbeat, but Parmenion choked with an emotion.

Next morning, Parmenion got on the black horse again, this time he had Hephaistion behind him instead of two chests. As they traveled north, the air became colder and colder. Hephaistion tightened his cloak around his body. He was amazed to see his breath turned into a white mist.

The door opened for them again, and the delicious smell greeted them. Parmenion guided Hephaistion to the dining room, and they sat and ate. The meal was exquisite as before, and Hephaistion especially enjoyed the exotic fruits. One had almost transparent fruit under the prickly crimson skin, that tasted clean and subtly sweet. The other was so juicy that the nectar ran down Hephaistion's chin when he bit into the smooth yellowish orange skin. He chuckled in delight like a small child with a mess around his mouth and sticky hands.

The beast did not show himself that night, and Parmenion left on the next morning. Hephaistion explored the mansion, and he was excited to find so many scrolls in the library he could read. His bed was so soft filled with down, and the cover was so warm with thick fur. Every morning when he woke up, a new set of clothes and jewelry were placed on the little table by his bed.

Hephaistion wondered who this beast was. He was apparently intelligent enough to read those scrolls, and caring enough to prepare nice meals for him and was trying to make him feel as comfortable as possible. Finally on the third day, the beast spoke to him from hiding behind a screen.

"So, Hephaistion is it?"

Hephaistion jumped at the sudden roar, but he swallowed and replied.

"Yes, I am."

"Why did you want the Iliad?"

"Because I love reading about the heroes. I think their lives were very exciting."

"There are many other stories about heroes. Why Iliad?"

"You may think I am silly like a girl, but I feel the love and friendship between Achilles and Patroclus was the most wonderful thing in the world."

Hephaistion heard the soft purr of the Beast.

Three more days passed, and the Beast showed himself to Hephaistion for the first time at the dinner table. The beast sat across from him. Hephaistion gasped when he saw the figure. He was just like a lion with an impressive golden mane. Hephaistion barely contained himself from running away with fear, but when he looked into the Beast's eyes, he caught the sign of good nature and intelligence hidden deep inside.

It became a custom for Hephaistion to read a passage from the Iliad to the beast every night after dinner. Listening to Hephaistion's gentle voice, the beast narrowed his eyes and purred like a little kitten.

The winter had come and they had the first snow. Fluffy large flakes danced down from the sky thick and fast. It soon covered everything with a pure white blanket, and made the trees in full bloom with frozen ice. Hephaistion had never seen the snow before, and he was very excited. He caught a flake on his palm, and admired the perfectly symmetrical crystal before it melted away into a tiny pool.

A roar alerted Hephaistion, but the very next moment, he found himself being pinned down on the ground. The beast gently rolled him over the soft snow making Hephaistion squirm and yelp with the cold sensations on his exposed skin. He quickly recovered, and counter attacked the beast with snowballs. They chased each other until the sun was almost set filling the crispy air of the quiet land with joyful laughter and growls.

However, it was just the beginning. Soon, it became freezing and was too cold to go outside. The sky was grey day after day without even a peek of the sun. The snowflakes were now turned into needle sharp stinging painfully against the bare skin. Hephaistion felt cold all the time, both inside and out, even the thick furs did not warm him at night. He looked outside and sighed heavily. How he wished for the warm climate of his hometown. The more grey days rolled in, the more smiles disappeared from Hephaistion's beautiful face.

The beast was concerned. He wanted for Hephaistion to be happy. It pained him to see depressed Hephaistion.

"Would you like to go home?"

"Could I?" Hephaistion's eyes brightened up instantly.

"Only if you promise to come back after three days."

"Yes! I promise, thank you!" Hephaistion flung himself upon the beast.

Hephaistion went home with more gold and jewelries, all excited and eager to see his father and brothers. The further he traveled to the south the more the air became warmer. He tilted his face towards the sun. The bright light and the warmth felt so good against his skin, and it relaxed every single cell in his body.

Parmenion was very happy to see Hephaistion home. On the other hand, Philotas and Cassander were jealous of him seeing Hephaistion dressed so well with expensive jewelries. They regretted not accepting the deal themselves. Three days passed so quickly, and the two brothers tried to keep Hephaistion from going back out of jealousy. They thought if the Beast got mad at Hephaistion for breaking the promise, then they would have a chance.

"Hephaistion, could you stay just a few more days?"

"But, I promised to the Beast, Philotas."

"Just for a few more days. He will understand. Besides, father would be happier." Cassander begged.

"Maybe just for a few more days."

So Hephaistion decided to stay for a little longer. He felt a sting of guilt, but the first day was not too bad. However on the second day, he felt terrible. He went to the beach to calm himself, but it had no effect. He tried to sleep it off that night, but each time when he was just about to fall asleep, the sad eyes of the Beast appeared in his mind as if it were to accuse him. Hephaistion gave up on sleep, and took a long walk to go up to the ledge where he used to sit.

It was not too cold, but the night air was crisp. There was no moon, but an abundance of stars twinkled in the indigo sky. When Hephaistion looked up, two bright stars shone through among the branches of the treetops. They reminded him of the eyes of the Beast; so bright and passionate.

He also recalled the day they had the first snow. He remembered how warm the body of the Beast felt against his when the Beast pulled him up on his feet and brushed off the snow from his back. He remembered how gently and carefully the beast rubbed off the moist from his wet hair with a towel using only palms not to hurt Hephaistion with his sharp claws. He also remembered how sad the Beast's eyes were when he looked back before turning the corner. Hephaistion's heart ached feeling the pain of the Beast.

Then he realized how he missed the Beast, and how he loved to be with him. It was not a thing or a place that he felt was missing from his life, but it was a confidant and companion. It was the Beast that was missing from his life. Furthermore, he loved the Beast. He needed to go back to him.

Hephaistion hurried back home to wake his father who was already in deep sleep.

"Father."

"Hephaistion? Come in. What is wrong?" Parmenion replied to him with thick voice from slumber.

"I'm sorry to wake you up this late, but it's urgent. I need to go back."

"Go back where?"

"Go back to the Beast. He needs me, and I need him. I have to get back to him."

"Are you sure of this?"

"Yes, I am. I have never been more sure than this. I am leaving now."

"But, Hephaistion, it is the middle of the night. You should wait until the morning. It is too dangerous to travel in the dark."

"No, father, I cannot wait. I promised him to go back two days ago."

"All right, but you should be very careful." Seeing Hephaistion's determined expression, Parmenion reluctantly agreed, and hugged his son tightly before letting him go.

Hephaistion's heart jumped when he saw the Beast lying on the snow unmoved in front of the door as if he had waited for unreturned Hephaistion for two days. He jumped off the horse and ran to the Beast kneeling by him. He gathered the frozen body in his arms.

"Please don't leave me. Oh, gods, please don't take him away."

Hot tears streamed down Hephaistion's cheeks and landed on the Beast's lips. The lashes fluttered, and the eyes of the Beast opened.

"Oh, gods, you are alive."

Hephaistion crushed the Beast against him in tight hug.

"You are here."

A weak voice escaped from the Beast.

"Yes, I am home."

Hephaistion pulled himself away so that he could look into the Beast's eyes.

"Please forgive me for breaking the promise."

"The most important thing is that you are here now."

The Beast wiped a tear off Hephaistion's cheek with the side of his claw. Hephaistion smiled.

"I came home, because I love you."

Hephaistion closed his eyes and kissed the Beast's mouth. At that moment, the beast's furry mouth turned into soft skin. Yet, Hephaistion did not notice the change, as he was too busy enjoying the wonderful sensations. He melted in the arms of the Beast.

When the kiss finally broke, and dazed Hephaistion opened his eyes, he was shocked. It was not the Beast but a handsome young man who was holding him. He still had the golden mane, but those were curls of human locks. The only things that had not changed were his bright wise eyes. The Beast saw his reflection in startled Hephaistion's orbs and smiled.

"Pleased to meet you Hephaistion, I am Alexander, the prince of Macedon."

"Prince Alexander? And you were the Beast? What is going on?"

"Let us go back in the house first. It is freezing here. I will explain it to you inside."

Alexander took Hephaistion's hand and guided him inside of the mansion. They sat in front of the cozy fire after they had dried themselves and changed to warm robes. Alexander handed Hephaistion a cup filled with spiced warm wine and started to tell a story.

"When I traveled to Aeaea, I met with a princess named Roxane. She invited me to stay in her palace. I gratefully accepted her hospitality, and had a great time. The food was delicious, and the exotic dance and music were very entertaining. When I was ready to leave, the princess asked me to stay and marry her. She was a very beautiful woman, but I did not feel that she was the right person for me."

While Alexander sipped the wine and continued, Hephaistion nodded with agreement, he knew that feeling.

"She was furious when I denied her offer, and cast a spell on me. She turned me into the Beast, and told me that I would turn back to a human again only if I found a person who would love me not what I am but who. I loved you since I had first seen you, but I did not think you could ever love me, as I was very ugly."

"No, you were not. You were the most gentle and caring creature. I loved you for that, but I did not realize it until I was separated from you."

"Your warm heart revived me, and your unconditional love turned me back to a human. But Hephaistion, are you disappointed because I am not the beast anymore?"

Alexander grinned teasingly, and it made Hephaistion blush.

"No, Alexander, I did not think it was possible, but I love you even more, the Beast or not."

Alexander pulled Hephaistion into a tight embrace. He kissed him with full of passion while exploring Hephaistion's smooth skin under the robe. He whispered against Hephaistion's neck with breath trembling with desire that sent waves of shiver down Hephaistion's spine.

"Let me show you that I have not lost all of the Beast after all, at least not in bed."

Alexander's word set a fire in Hephaistion's body, and Hephaistion knew that he would never be cold again as long as he was with Alexander, as they would burn the fuel of desire night after night.

End


	12. Rapunzel

**Chapter 12**

**Title: Rapunzel**

**Cast:**

**Rapunzel, prince of Macedon: Alexander  
Prince of Thessaly: Hephaistion  
Witch, Rapunzel's adopted mother: Queen Olympias  
Rapunzel's father: King Philip II  
Rapunzel's mother: Cleopatra  
Hephaistion's father: Amyntor**

**A/N:** **This is an adaptation of German fairy tale "Rapunzel" by Brothers Grimm. The plot was loosely followed but was modified to fit the world of Alexander.**

Once upon a time, there lived a king and a queen in the land called Macedon. They had been happily married for a long time, but they had not been given a child. After praying for long hours and giving numerous sacrifices to the gods, their wish was finally granted and now Queen Cleopatra was expecting. The queen was very happy, but King Philip was worried. The queen was not very strong to begin with, but since she was with child, she seemed to be feeling unwell. She could not sleep at night, and her appetite was very small.

When King Philip visited the queen's chamber, she was standing by the window looking over the meadow that spread beyond the stone wall. She looked so tired and fragile with her pale face. The king approached her from behind, and gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Is there anything that you want, my queen?" The queen sighed in his arms.

"No, my king. You have given me everything; the palace, jewelries, beautiful clothes, a child, and most importantly your love."

"What are you looking at so longingly, then?"

"Oh, pardon me. I was just looking at those blue flowers over the meadow. They are so soothing, aren't they?"

King Philip looked over the meadow and saw what his queen was looking at. A cluster of blue flowers mingled with tender spring green grasses. The view was peaceful and tranquil indeed. If the land belonged to him, the king would have built a gazebo in the middle of the meadow for his queen to enjoy, alas, the land belonged to a powerful wicked witch named Olympias. Nobody crossed over her land, since she was so protective, and so mean that she turned anybody who trespassed on her property into a snake.

Yet, the king's desire to please his queen won over the fear, and king Philip climbed over the stone fence in the evening. He gathered as many flowers as he could in his arms, and brought them back to the queen's chamber. She was sitting on the bed with drained face. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw the king with her favorite flowers. He spread them over the bed covering the entire surface.

"How wonderful! It is like I am in the middle of the meadow."

On that evening, the queen slept throughout the night for the first time, and the king was pleased to see a slight rosy color returned onto her cheeks next morning.

King Philip went back to the witch's meadow night after night. On one evening when the moon was full, he was lost in the magical beauty of the meadow. The gentle breeze carried a sweet scented smell, and the silver beam of the moonlight pierced through the delicate petals of the blue flowers. He did not hear the witch approaching. He jumped when a hollow voice echoed in the moonlight.

"Who are you, and how dare you think that you could not only trespass on my land but also steal my flowers? "

"Forgive me. I am King Philip of Macedon. I am sorry that I stole your flowers, but they were the only thing that soothed my troubled queen who is with child."

"Did you do this knowing the consequence?"

"Yes, I did." The king looked straight at the witch's sparkling green eyes ready to face his fate.

"Fine, but since those flowers are for your queen and her child, I will turn them into snakes."

"No! They are innocent! Please have mercy. I would do anything."

"Very well, since you are so brave I will make an exception. Promise me to give your son to me when he is born, then you can have as many flowers as you like until he is born."

"My son?"

"Yes, your queen is pregnant with your son. Now, what is your answer?"

King Philip thought for a moment. If it were for him to be turned into a snake, he would have accepted to save his queen and son, but the witch wanted his most beloved. There was only one answer.

"There is nothing I can do, but agree." King Philip answered in pained voice.

The witch laughed, satisfied, and walked away, leaving Philip with mixed emotions. He was pleased to find out that his queen was carrying his son, but was sad at the same time thinking of him taken away by the witch.

Thanks to the blue flowers that covered her bed nightly, the last month of the queen's pregnancy was a peaceful one. One early summer morning, the queen gave birth to a beautiful boy. His hair was soft golden silk, his skin fair and flawless, his eyes sharp and clear and his voice filled with power and vibrant life.

In contrast, the queen became very weak as if she had given all her vigor to her son. She took her last breath as she held her son tenderly in her arms. The only comfort for the king was that she was smiling so happily. Sudden cold air invaded the queen's chamber, and king Philip felt his tears almost freeze to ice. He came to his senses from deep grief when he saw the witch Olympias take the baby away from the queen.

"Wait, let me hold him for a moment, and give him a name before you take him away."

"Make it quick." The witch replied coldly giving the baby back into the arms of the king.

"My son, I name you Alexander, the protector of the people. I wish you would protect the people of the kingdom when you grow up."

The king kissed the top of the baby's soft golden hair.

"That is enough. You can name him whatever you want, but I will call him Rapunzel, the name of the flower that gave him to me."

With this, the wicked witch Olympias left the chamber swiftly with prince Alexander possessively held against her chest. King Philip's eyes were hollow with the grief of losing his queen and his son on the same day.

The torment was overwhelming for the king, his health gradually deteriorated, and he was gone within a year after the loss of his beloved. The witch did not let the opportunity slip away between her fingers. She became the queen of Macedon, and the once happy and cheerful kingdom of Macedon was now dreadful and gloomy under the witch's cruel regime.

However, Olympias loved Alexander very much, and was good to him in her own possessive way. He grew more handsome every passing year. She was afraid that a beautiful maiden would steal him away from her one of these days. So she built a tower of smooth marble at the edge of the meadow. There were no doors or stairs but a single window. She locked him there so that nobody could get to him but her.

Every morning, she came to the tower with a basket of food and clean clothes, and called Alexander.

"_Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair_."

With her mantra, his golden hair grew and grew and became long enough to reach the bottom of the tower. Then she climbed up the slippery wall tugging the golden rope. As soon as she reached Alexander's room, his hair retracted to the normal shoulder length. She spent the whole morning with him talking about everything happening in the world. Alexander enjoyed this only connection to the outer world.

"_Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb down the golden stair_."

As the early evening approached Queen Olympias climbed down the tower and went back to the palace. Again, when she securely reached at the bottom, Alexander's hair was shortened. It had been the daily routine since Alexander was fourteen years old.

Now the prince was no longer just a sweet boy, but a young man with ambition. As much as he enjoyed the company of his mother, he longed for freedom, and the exploration of the new world. Experiencing the world through his mother's words was not enough to satisfy his curiosity any more. He needed to feel and see the world himself.

Meanwhile, the prince, named Hephaistion, of the neighboring land was on the hunt with his friends deep in the woods. All of a sudden, a gorgeous white deer leaped in front of them. The prince was determined to catch the animal. He kicked his horse hard to make it gallop at full speed.

He was the best rider in the kingdom. He rode effortlessly and strong like the first gale in the spring. The prince and his friends became further and further apart. He did not hear the calling voices of his name for stopping, and soon he found himself lost in the woods. He could no longer see the white deer nor his friends.

A beautiful sound of lyre came from nowhere. When Hephaistion looked over in the direction where the music was coming from, he saw a tall tower shooting up into the sky. As he walked to the tower, he heard a singing voice along with the lyre.

_He may lie for a whole year,  
and his flesh shall still be as sound as ever,  
or even sounder.  
Call, therefore, the Achaean heroes in assembly;  
unsay your anger against Agamemnon;  
arm at once, and fight with might and main." *1_

Hephaistion gasped. It was his favorite passage from the Iliad, the clear voice continued with so much sadness in his singing.

_As she spoke she put strength and courage into his heart,  
and she then dropped ambrosia and red nectar into the wounds of Patroclus,  
that his body might suffer no change. *2_

It sounded so beautiful and melancholy that it brought a tear to Hephaistion's eyes; he could sense the loneliness and the longing of the singer. Hephaistion had a strong urge to meet with the producer of this moving music. Nobody had ever shown such understanding and love for this great story.

He walked around the stone tower looking for an entrance, but there was not a single door leading into the inside, but thorn bushes around it as if to prevent an intruder. As much as he wanted, Hephaistion had to give up since the sun was now set, and the darkness started to fall. He took shelter under an oak tree, and decided to explore more in the morning.

Neighing of a horse woke Hephaistion up. He was surprised that the sun was already up so high; he must have been very tired for sleeping in so late. He saw a woman dressed in fine clothes on horseback, and hid himself and his horse behind the tree. He suspected that she was the queen of Macedon, and if she were, then it was best not to be seen in her land. The story of her meanness and possessiveness was well known in his land as well, and it was said that she was once a wicked witch.

She stopped under the window of the tower.

"_Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair_."

As she spoke, a golden rope trickled down from the window, and she climbed up it. She was there for the whole morning. When Hephaistion was getting almost too impatient, he heard the woman speak again.

"_Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb down the golden stair_."

As soon as the queen climbed down and disappeared beyond the meadow, Hephaistion came out of his hiding place, and he repeated the exact words that she said. A golden rope came down, and he did not hesitate a bit to climb up it.

When his hair started to grow again, Alexander did not think about it too much. He thought it was his mother coming back to him after forgetting something. He was so surprised to see a young man instead standing in front of him. When the initial shock had passed, he was amazed to realize how beautiful this young man was. His shapely face was framed with long brunet hair shining auburn where the sun hit. His pleasing lips were slightly parted with surprise, and his eyes were soothing color of Rapunzel.

"Please forgive me intruding like this, I am Hephaistion the prince of Thessaly, your neighboring kingdom. I heard you singing my favorite story, the Iliad yesterday, and I could not help wanting to meet with you. You sang it with such a passion and love."

Even his voice was lovely to Alexander's ears.

"I am Alexander, the prince of Macedon. The Iliad is my favorite, too. I am pleased to meet with somebody whom I can share my passion."

"If you are the prince, why are you confined in this tower?"

Alexander told Hephaistion about what had happened to him.

"That is terrible. How can she demand such thing from you?"

"I know that she is doing this because of her love for me, but I am ready to get out to the world."

"We will think of something."

Alexander and Hephaistion talked all night about their favorite heroes and dreams. They had so much in common that they felt that they had been friends for years. At the crack of dawn, Hephaistion climbed down the tower with a promise of coming back in the evening.

Queen Olympias noticed the difference in Alexander right away. He looked tired, but somehow, he was glowing with joy.

"Did anything happen to you, my son? You look tired, but happy."

"I could not sleep well last night. And I must look happy because you are here."

Queen Olympias was not totally convinced, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

As he promised, Hephaistion came back in the late afternoon day after day, and Queen Olympias' suspicion grew deeper as the frequency increased of her son falling into sleep more often in the middle of the conversations during her visit. On the seventh day after she first noticed the change in Alexander, she decided to stay around, and see what would happen after she had left.

A moment after she hid herself behind the tree, a young man on a chestnut mare appeared from the wood, and said the magic words to have Alexander pull him up. She was furious. The filthy thief, she thought, she would take revenge, and make sure that he would not see her precious Alexander any more.

Unaware of his mother's fury, Alexander greeted Hephaistion with his chiton pulled off to the waist. Hephaistion's eyebrow was raised in question.

"Oh, I was getting ready for the bath."

"You have a bath, up here?"

"Yes, I have a reservoir on top of the tower that was heated by the sun. Would you like to join me?"

"That sounds good. I was feeling the need of that myself."

Alexander guided him to the adjoining room. The marble tub was already filled with warm water. They stripped their clothes and jumped into the tub making water splash all over the place. Washing each other, they giggled like girls until Alexander sealed Hephaistion's mouth with a passionate kiss.

Under the silver beams of the moon through the skylight, they lost themselves in desire. The cradle of the water around their bodies synchronized with their urge, and brought them onto the pinnacle of ecstasy. They floated there for a long time looking up at the twinkling stars, feeling content in each other's arms with blank minds.

Alexander pushed a strand of Hephaistion's wet hair away from his cheek, and kissed his moist lips tenderly. Hephaistion blinked as if he was brought back from the reverie.

"Oh"

"What is it, Hephaistion?" Alexander asked him after placing another kiss.

"Why didn't I think about this before?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The plan, the plan to get you out of here."

"Oh?"

"I have an idea. Let me go back to Thessaly. I will come back with a rope long enough to reach to the ground. Then we do not need your hair to grow. We can both climb down using it."

"That is an excellent idea, but how long do you think that you'll be gone?"

"Oh, I think no more than three days."

"Three days! It is too long to be without you."

"Oh, Alexander, I feel the same, but think of being able to be together without sneaking out of your mother's eyes."

"You are right, Hephaistion. Even though it is unbearable just thinking of the days without you, I will wait for you."

"The pain is the same with me, but think about the joy we gain afterward."

They parted reluctantly after a deep kiss and lingering hugs.

Soon after Hephaistion left the tower to go back to his kingdom, Queen Olympias came to visit Alexander as usual. She saw Alexander's distress right away.

"Alexander, you are almost nineteen, and I know you are eager to see the world. I think it is the time for you to come back to the palace, and learn to be the king of Macedon. "

Alexander could not believe his luck. Now he did not have to wait for Hephaistion to come back, but he could travel to his kingdom to meet with him.

"Thank you mother, you made me very happy. I love you!"

Alexander hugged the queen and kissed her check.

"Now, go ahead climbing down this rope, and go back to the palace. I will meet you there after locking this place up."

Alexander almost leaped down with joy. He had no intention of waiting for his mother at the palace, he was going straight to the stable, and ride to the land of Thessaly to see Hephaistion. On the other hand, queen Olympias did not plan to go back to the palace any sooner. She would wait for that young man who stole her son's heart, and make sure that he would not come close to Alexander again.

She waited patiently on top of the tower. On the third day she heard the young man's melodic voice underneath.

"_Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair_."

She smiled wickedly, and threw the rope down. Hephaistion wondered why the golden rope was so dry, but his anticipation of getting Alexander free was much stronger than making him more cautious. He climbed up tugging the rope. When he came up almost reaching to the window, Queen Olympias appeared with a knife, and cut the strand off.

Hephaistion did not have time to even scream; he fell into the thorny bush scratching every surface of his exposed smooth skin. The last thing he remembered was sharp pain in his eyes before the darkness took over his world.

Dew fell on Hephaistion's forehead, and his eyes fluttered open. It was all black around him, and he could not make out any shapes. He crawled out the bushes with hands and knees scratching his skin even more. His whole body hurt like he was crushed under stampede, but he thanked gods for nothing seemed to be broken. He thought he would wait until the morning, so that he could see where to go.

Next time when Hephaistion woke up, he felt warmth of the sun on his face, and he panicked next moment when he found himself still in the world of darkness. He could not see a thing; he had lost his sight.

'_Oh no, how can I find Alexander if I cannot see. Well, but I cannot just sit here feeling sorry for myself. If he were not in the tower, the queen must have moved him to the palace. I just have to get there. I saw the palace on the way back to Thessaly; it was west of here. So, all I have to do is walk to the other direction of the sun first, then follow the sun.'_

Not being able to see the ground, Hephaistion fell numerous times, but he did not give up. Slowly but steadily, he was moving towards to the palace.

In the meantime, Alexander was at the palace in Thessaly. To his dismay, he did not meet with Hephaistion on the way as he hoped, and more disturbingly, he found that Hephaistion had never made it back to his palace.

"It has been ten days since he was lost on his hunting trip. I had sent a search party, but they have not found him. The queen and I are very worried."

The king Amyntor told Alexander with saddened voice. Alexander felt like he was pushed from a cliff into an endless canyon.

'_Oh no, my mother must have found out about him, and did a terrible thing to him. Please gods, let him be safe.'_

"Please do not worry King Amyntor, I will find him no matter what, even if I had to travel to the underworld, I promise to bring him back."

With this, Alexander left the palace. Alexander thought that the best thing to do to find Hephaistion was to go back to the tower. He pushed his horse hard to gain some distance. His heart was heavy with worry and fear. He prayed to the gods at every passing tree for Hephaistion's safety and their reunion.

On the fifth day, after their parting, Alexander saw a white deer, and something inside of him made to follow him. The deer stopped at a brook to have some water. Alexander dismounted to let his horse drink down the stream as well. He took a lyre out and started to sing, remembering the first encounter with Hephaistion.

He jumped when he heard an almost inaudible whisper of his name followed by a moan.

"Hephaistion! Is it you? Where are you?"

There was no answer.

"Please, Hephaistion let me know where you are."

"Alex…ander…"

He heard another murmur and ran to the direction of the voice. He gasped when he saw Hephaistion lying among the tall grass by the brook, his whole body was covered with cuts and bruises, and a half of his locks was floating in the stream. Alexander knelt down beside him, and gathered him in his arms.

"Oh, Hephaistion please open your eyes. Let me see your beautiful blues."

Hephaistion's eyes fluttered open, but they were blank. All Alexander could see was the reflection of himself in Hephaistion's orbs, and he was certain that the image was not reaching to Hephaistion's mind.

"No!"

He crushed Hephaistion against his chest, hot tears streamed down his cheeks onto Hephaistion's unfocused eyes. Hephaistion felt the pain in his eyes melt away and he blinked a few times. The blurry image appeared, and gradually it formed the most delightful sight.

"Alexander..."

"Oh, thank gods, Hephaistion. You can see me again! "

Alexander scooped up Hephaistion in his arms and put him on the back of his horse, before mounting himself behind Hephaistion to hold him. He made his horse gallop as fast as he could while not disturbing Hephaistion too much who was now shivering with fever.

Seven days of the rest and the pampering of Alexander made Hephaistion gain his health and strength back. As soon as he was well, Alexander and Hephaistion rode to Thessaly. King Amyntor and the queen were very happy to see their son safe and well, and thanked Alexander for saving the life of their son. After understanding the devotion and love that Alexander and Hephaistion held to each other, the king arranged the marriage of two.

Alexander and Hephaistion freed the Macedonians from the cruel witch's reign, and were greatly loved and respected by the people of Macedon. They also took Thessaly after king Amyntor, and now they were ready to go on the expedition to the East, to conquer Asia to build the kingdom of their dream. They would live the life of their heroes, and would build their own myth.

What happened to Queen Olympias? She realized that she trapped herself in the tower when she cut the rope to make Hephaistion fall. She was so furious that her blood boiled and froze. She turned into a statue of fury just like a Gorgon in the myth. The people of the Macedon left the tower as a reminder of their hardship, and the gratitude to the new kingdom.

**Note *1, *2: Quotes from the Iliad, Book XIX, translated by Samuel Butler**


	13. The Swineherd

**Chapter 13  
**

**Prompt: Surprise  
Title: The Swineherd – The Life is Full of Surprise**

**Casting:**

**The swineherd: Hephaistion  
The prince (princess): Alexander  
Guests: Queen Olympias, Amyntor, Hephaistion's mother  
Cameo Appearance: Ptolemy, Perdiccas, Nearchus**

**A/N: This is an adaptation of well-known fairytale, "The Swineherd" by Hans Christian Andersen. The plot is heavily modified to suit the world of Alexander and Hephaistion.**

Once upon a time there was a prince who lived in the island of Crete. His father's kingdom was not very big, but the island was a floating little gem in the Mediterranean Sea looking at the cobalt blue Aegean Sea to the north, and the turquoise blue Libyan Sea to the south.

High mountains and gorges formed mystical scenery that suited the land called the birthplace of Zeus. The fertile land in the south with mild temperature produced vegetables and fruits all year round. People in the kingdom did not have much, but the island was completely self-supporting, and everybody knew how to enjoy life.

Hephaistion was the name of the prince, the only child of King Amyntor and Queen Kalliope. Although he was an only child and the prince, Hephaistion was not spoiled. The people of Crete loved him for his intelligence, perfect almost divine appearance, and most of all for his gentle and caring heart.

When prince Hephaistion became twenty-two years old, the king and the queen sent him off the island to find a companion. He had a big dream of exploring foreign lands to unite the world into one. However, the task was too big for Hephaistion to accomplish by himself, he needed a companion who was as strong and determined as he was.

On the day of their prince's departure, the king bade him farewell with the gift of a Hoopoe; a songbird with orange crown feather and black and white striped wings. His calling was most unique; it sounded like a syrinx. And the Hoopoe that the king gave to Hephaistion was very special, because he could even hold tunes. It sounded so beautiful that anybody who once heard the song felt as if his soul was washed with purified water.

The queen gave him a pot of flower, a very rare flower called Androcymbium that grew only on the sandy land of Western Crete. A cluster of white flowers with pink streaks sat in the middle of glossy deep green leaves that formed a perfect bouquet of its own. The flower was not only beautiful, but also practical. The seeds were an excellent medicine for high fever.

At first light, Prince Hephaistion sailed out into the calm sea leaving worried but proud parents behind. After arriving onto the shore, he first visited Perdiccas, the son of Orontes in Orestis. The young man with sandy blond hair was gentle and sincere. Hephaistion liked him very much, but Perdiccas was a little too timid to be a partner of the prince. However, Perdiccas promised to join Hephaistion's force when the prince was ready for an expedition.

The next person whom Hephaistion visited was Ptolemy, the son of Lagos in Eordaea. This curry haired tall man was logical and intelligent, but he was not spontaneous enough to be a partner of the conqueror. Ptolemy also promised the prince to join the expedition when he was ready.

The prince traveled to a port town next to meet Nearchus, the son of Androtimus in Amphipolis. The cheerful man who joked all the time was such fun to be with, but he was too carefree to be a partner of the warrior prince. He too promised to join the force for an expedition.

'_Maybe, there is no such perfect person to share my dream.'_

When Prince Hephaistion had almost given up, he heard about this prince in Macedon. They said he was the smartest and the bravest of all, the exact kind of person whom Hephaistion needed. He changed his direction to the north to head to the capital city of Macedon.

Hephaistion was astonished when he arrived at the palace of Pella. It was twice as big as the palace in Crete, and even from outside, he could tell how luxurious it might be decorated. He was glad that his parents sent him with gifts, because it seemed that there was not even a chance to meet the Prince with empty hands.

Hephaistion handed the bird and the flower to the guard, and told him that he sought a grant to see the Prince. The guard told him to wait in the hall, and disappeared into the long corridor.

"Prince Alexander. There is a man called Prince Hephaistion of Crete requesting to meet you. He said that those are presents for you as a token of friendship."

"Very well, presents, are they? Let us see. What have we got here? I will meet him if I like his presents, then. Open it!"

The guard opened the first present. A beautiful bird was parched on a twig in a cage. As soon as his eyes had adjusted to the light, the bird started to sing a beautiful song. Everybody seemed to be impressed except the Prince and the Queen.

"Mother, this is real. It is not valuable then, is it?"

"No, Alexander. He will die eventually, and he will bring you sadness. It is best not to have him to begin with."

"I thought so, mother. Let us see the other one."

A rare beautiful white flower in a pot appeared when the guard opened the wrapping cloth.

"It is beautiful! I have never seen such a gorgeous flower."

"Yes, Alexander, but it is real, too. It will wilt sooner or later."

"You are right mother, it is best not to have it. Take them back to Prince Hephaistion, and tell him that I will not see him, because his presents were not good enough."

The guard wrapped the presents back, and left the chamber. It was not really the prince's fault that he did not have a heart to appreciate living things. His mother raised him preaching that the only thing he could count on was an artificial thing from the day he was born. The prince did not know any better.

Prince Hephaistion was very disappointed when he heard the message from the guard. He told the guard that Prince Alexander could keep the presents anyway, and left the palace. He thought of going back to Crete, but he could not quite make up his mind. He hated to quit. He needed to see Alexander at least once before giving up.

Hephaistion disguised himself as an ordinary citizen, and went back to the palace. He asked for an employment at the palace, so that he would have a chance to meet Prince Alexander. Luckily they were just looking for a new swineherd to replace the current one, since the swineherd was getting too old for his job.

They gave a small cottage at the furthest corner of the palace garden for Hephaistion to live in. While Hephaistion took care of the pigs during the day, he was busy making toys during the night. One of the cooks had told him that Prince Alexander adored a rare toy. After several nights' hard work, Hephaistion finally finished a crossbow that was staggered on top of each other, so that when two people worked together, it released continuous arrows without interruption.

When Alexander heard about this toy that the new swineherd had invented, he had to have it. He sent his servant to the cottage to find out what it would take for him to get the crossbow. Alexander was ready to pay any cost. To his surprise, the swineherd did not request any money. He told the servant that all he wanted was ten kisses from the prince.

"Ten kisses? No way in hell! What does he think he is? A god? Does he think that I would worship him or something for making a toy?"

Alexander was very angry for the rudeness of the swineherd at first, but the desire to have the new toy exceeded his anger. He agreed to accept the proposition in the end.

It was another surprise when he met with swineherd. Despite the poor clothing, the man looked very handsome, and elegant. His posture was even regal. The kiss that he thought was an obligation turned to be a most enjoyable one. The man's soft and warm lips were delightful on his own. And those amazing blue eyes! They were bewitching; they were so pure that they shook his soul to the core.

Seven days passed after the first encounter. Hephaistion did not like the fact that Alexander accepted his rude request without putting up a fight, but he wanted to give Alexander another chance. He indeed liked this golden haired prince very much.

So, Hephaistion made another toy. It was a model of a siege engine, but not an ordinary one. It had five different parts that you could easily pull by horses, and put them together in no time. There would not be any long wait to build it from scratch at the battlefield any longer.

As soon as Prince Alexander heard of this siege engine, he had to have it no matter what. He sent the servant again, and was told that it would cost him a hundred kisses this time.

"A hundred kisses!"

Alexander pretended to look disgusted, but deep in his heart, he was excited. Ever since he had kissed the swineherd's sweet lips, he had longed for another kiss. He was surprised to realize that getting a new toy was just an excuse to kiss the swineherd.

On the other hand, Prince Hephaistion was upset. He did not understand why Alexander could agree to kiss the swineherd for an insignificant toy, but did not have a heart to appreciate more genuine presents from him.

"Prince Alexander, I am Prince Hephaistion whom you did not even want to meet, because you did not like my presents. I came here in hope of finding my expedition partner who would share my dream, and I thought it could be you. You are intelligent, passionate, and brave. But, I was disappointed. I don't understand why you could sell yourself for such an insignificant toy, but not care for more precious living things."

With this, Hephaistion walked out the palace to head back to his home country leaving stunned Alexander behind. Alexander tried to stop Hephaistion to tell him the truth, but he was too shocked to speak or move.

"Another lesson learned, Alexander. I told you that living things would leave you sooner or later. He was not an exception, either. Come Alexander, Let us play with those exquisite toys you have, and forget all about him."

Two full moons passed since Prince Hephaistion had left. Alexander felt an empty spot in his heart, but he tried to fill it by busying himself playing with his toys. The crossbow and the siege engine were his favorite toys. He played with them so many times that a string of the bow snapped and broke, but it was quickly fixed by a servant.

When Alexander woke up next morning, he felt something was missing. He soon noticed that the Hoopoe did not greet him with the morning song. After Hephaistion had left, Alexander kept his presents in his chamber as a memory of the beautiful prince. He looked into the cage, and saw the dead bird lying at the bottom of the cage. Alexander knew that it was too late that nobody could fix him any more.

He moved to the windowsill feeling sad and empty. He should have listened to his mother, and had them get rid of it. And then, he gasped with the sight of Androcymbium that he watered and fed everyday. The sun was coming through the window, and the white flower shone even more beautiful than ever in the golden light. The warmth and a joy flooded into his heart.

All of a sudden, Alexander understood the value of life. The living things are so precious, because they are not forever. And if you cherish them and take care of them, then they would reward you by growing prettier and stronger. He now completely understood what Prince Hephaistion meant.

Next morning, Alexander left the palace in Pella to see Hephaistion. He would do anything to convince the prince that he was worthy to be his partner. Feeling the wind on his face, and inhaling the sweet and pungent smell of the sea, Alexander promised himself. He would not give up until he won Hephaistion's heart. He smiled imagining Hephaistion's soft lips on his. This time, the kiss was not to pay for a toy, but to give his heart away.

End


End file.
